Mitochondrial DNA mutations---candidate biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis in Bangladesh.
Breast cancer is a major health problem that affects more than 24% of women in Bangladesh. Further- more, among low-income countries including Bangladesh, individuals have a high risk for developing breast cancer. This study aimed to identify candidate mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis in Bangladeshi women to be used as a preventive approach.  We screened the blood samples from 24 breast cancer patients and 20 healthy controls to detect polymorphisms in the D-loop and the ND3- and ND4-coding regions of mtDNA by direct sequencing. Among 14 distinct mutations, 10 polymorphisms were found in the D-loop, 3 were found in the ND3-coding region, and 1 was found in the ND4-coding region. The frequency of two novel polymorphisms in the D-loop, one at position 16290 (T-ins) and the other at position 16293 (A-del), was higher in breast cancer patients than in control subjects (position 16290: odds ratio = 6.011, 95% confidence interval = 1.2482 to 28.8411, P = 0.002; position 16293: odds ratio = 5.6028, 95% confidence interval = 1.4357 to 21.8925,  P = 0.010). We also observed one novel mutation in the ND3-coding region at position 10316 (A > G) in 69% of breast cancer patients but not in control subjects. The study suggests that two novel polymorphisms in the D-loop may be candidate biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis in Bangladeshi women.
Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh. nngazi@gmail.com
Gazi Nurun Nahar
GN
Sultana
Atiqur
A
Rahman
Abu Din Ahmed
AD
Shahinuzzaman
Rowshan Ara
RA
Begum
Chowdhury Faiz
CF
Hossain
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001459:Bangladesh; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial