Expression of dickkopf-1 and beta-catenin related to the prognosis of breast cancer patients with triple negative phenotype.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the prognostic importance of dickkopf-1(DKK1) and beta-catenin expression in triple negative breast cancers.


METHODS
The expression of DKK1 and beta-catenin was evaluated in breast cell lines using RT-PCR and western blot. Immunohistochemistry was used to characterize the expression pattern of DKK1 and beta-catenin in 85 triple negative breast cancers and prognostic significance was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling.


RESULTS
The expression of DKK1 was confirmed in hormone-resistant breast cell lines MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-231-HM and MDA-MB-435. Expression of DKK1 in triple negative breast cancers correlated with cytoplasmic/nuclear beta-catenin (p = 0.000). Elevated expression of DKK1 and cytoplasmic/nuclear beta-catenin in triple negative cancers indicate poor outcome of patients. DKK1 was also a prognostic factor for patients with earlier stage or no lymph node metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
DKK1 together with beta-catenin might be important prognostic factors in triple negative breast carcinoma. DKK1 might be a valuable biomarker in predicting the prognosis of patients with earlier stage or no lymph node metastasis. It is possible that through further understanding of the role of Wnt/beta-catenin pathway activation, beta-catenin would be a potential therapeutic target for the triple negative breast cancer.
Department of Breast Surgery, Breast Cancer Institute, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Wen-Huan
WH
Xu
Zhe-Bin
ZB
Liu
Chen
C
Yang
Wenxin
W
Qin
Zhi-Ming
ZM
Shao
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C501126:DKK1 protein, human; D017931:DNA Primers; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin