title: Expression of sarcosine metabolism-related proteins according to metastatic site in breast cancer.
abstract: We aimed to evaluate the expression of sarcosine metabolism-related proteins according to site of metastatic breast cancer, and the clinical implications. Immunohistochemical staining for glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT), sarcosine dehydrogenase (SARDH), and l-pipecolic acid oxidase (PIPOX) was performed on tissue microarrays from 162 metastatic breast cancer (bone metastases = 47, brain metastases = 39, liver metastases = 24, and lung metastases = 52). Sarcosine metabolism-related proteins showed variable expression with regard to metastatic sites. GNMT was expressed in brain and lung metastases, but not in bone and liver metastases (P = 0.016). In view of the sarcosine metabolic phenotype, high sarcosine and intermediate type were only found in the brain and lung metastases, and low sarcosine type was observed more frequently in bone and lung metastases (P = 0.047). By univariate analysis, PIPOX positivity was correlated with shorter overall survival (OS) (P = 0.031). In lung metastases, PIPOX positivity (P = 0.019) and stromal PIPOX positivity (P = 0.001) were associated with shorter OS. In conclusion, in metastatic breast cancer, sarcosine metabolism-related proteins are differently expressed according to the metastatic site. Expression of GNMT and high sarcosine type are predominantly observed in brain and lung metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital Seodaemun-Gu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital Seodaemun-Gu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Do Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital Seodaemun-Gu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Hee
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital Seodaemun-Gu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ja Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Koo
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D050938:Glycine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009928:Organ Specificity; D050892:Sarcosine Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D050879:Sarcosine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C494349:PIPOX protein, human; D050879:Sarcosine Oxidase; D050892:Sarcosine Dehydrogenase; C494510:GNMT protein, human; D050938:Glycine N-Methyltransferase
keywords: Breast cancer; metabolism; molecular subtype; sarcosine