title: Role of GSK3β in breast cancer susceptibility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is one of the principal causes of death among Brazilian women, so it is a challenge to find new and specific early diagnostic markers, using simple and fast procedures. GSK3β gene is an important Wnt signaling regulator involved in β-Catenin degradation. Wnt signaling is associated with initiation and progression process in many tumor types, and alterations in β-Catenin explain only a small proportion of aberrant signaling found in breast cancer, indicating that other Wnt signaling components and/or regulators as GSK3β may be involved.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic, epigenetic and transcriptional alterations of GSK3β in breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood samples from 204 breast cancer and healthy women were collected. Assessment of rs334558 polymorphism was performed by PCR-RFLP, promoter methylation profiles analysis by MS-PCR and qPCR was used to determine GSK3β expression levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rs334558 polymorphism showed a strong association with aggressive cancer. A significant increase was observed in GSK3β expression level respect to hormone receptors status and tumor size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated an inverse relationship between GSK3β performance and tumor progression. This is the first study to relate GSK3β gene with breast cancer in Brazilian population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.|Center for Cell-Based Therapy, National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy, Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrés Felipe
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Aristizabal-Pachon
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Willian Orlando
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
keywords: PCR-RFPLs; RT-qPCR; rs334558; wnt signaling; β-catenin destruction complex