N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-14 as a potential biomarker for breast cancer by immunohistochemistry.
BACKGROUND
The post-translational modification of proteins, including glycosylation, differs between normal and tumor cells. The UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases (GalNAc-Tases) family of enzymes regulates the initial steps of mucin O-glycosylation and is responsible for the altered glycosylation state observed in cancer cells. Recently it was found that GalNAc-T14 mRNA is heterogeneously expressed in breast carcinomas compared to normal tissue, however the expression profile of GalNAc-T14 protein in breast carcinomas compared to normal tissue is still unknown. In this study, we assessed the expression profile of GalNAc-T14 protein in malignant and non-malignant breast tissues by immunohistochemistry to evaluate whether GalNAc-T14 might be a potential biomarker for breast cancer.


METHODS
In formalin-fixed tissues, the expression level of GalNAc-T14 protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry assay in breast tissues. Expression profiles were assessed in normal tissues, benign fibroadenomas and several types of carcinomas.


RESULTS
Our results showed that GalNAc-T14 was heterogeneously expressed in breast carcinomas compared to non-malignant tissue. GalNAc-T14 expression was observed in 47/56 (83.9%) carcinoma samples, 7/48 (14.6%) non-malignant breast tissue samples. GalNAc-T14 expression level was associated with histological grade. For this enzyme a significant association with invasive ductal type, mucinous adenocarcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) type was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results provide evidence that GalNAc-T14 may be a potential biomarker for breast cancer by immunohistochemistry. GalNAc-T14 expression level was associated with histological grade. GalNAc-T14 expression can provide new insights about breast cancer glycobiology.
Wu
Chen
C
College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 071002, PR China. dawnwuchen@163.com
Guo
Xiaodan
X
Wang
Weina
W
Wang
Yun
Y
Shan
Yaojun
Y
Zhang
Bo
B
Song
Wenqian
W
Ma
Sisi
S
Ge
Jianfeng
J
Deng
Hao
H
Zhu
Mingsheng
M
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000032:analysis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases; C471038:UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 14, human