Immunohistochemical surrogate markers of breast cancer molecular classes predicts response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a single institutional experience with 359 cases

Differential proteomic analysis of late-stage and recurrent breast cancer from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues

The heterogeneity of breast cancer requires the discovery of more incisive molecular tools that better define disease progression and prognosis. Proteomic analysis of homogeneous tumor cell populations derived by laser microdissection from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues has proven to be a robust strategy for conducting retrospective cancer biomarker investigations. We describe an MS-based analysis of laser microdissected cancerous epithelial cells derived from twenty-five breast cancer patients at defined clinical disease stages with the goal of identifying protein abundance characteristics indicative of disease progression and recurrence. Comparative analysis of stage 0 and stage III patients revealed 113 proteins that significantly differentiated these groups and included known factors associated with disease pathogenesis, such as CDH1 and CTNNB1, as well as those previously implicated in breast cancer, such as TSP-1. Similar analyses of patients presenting with stage II disease that did or did not exhibit recurrence two years postdiagnosis revealed 42 proteins that significantly differentiated these subgroups and included IRS-1 and PARK7. These data provide evidence supporting the utility of FFPE tissues for functional proteomic analyses and protein biomarker discovery and yielded protein candidates indicative of disease stage and recurrence in breast cancer that warrant further investigation for diagnostic utility and biological relevance.

Defining central themes in breast cancer biology by differential proteomics: conserved regulation of cell spreading and focal adhesion kinase

Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, an observation that underscores the importance of elucidating conserved molecular characteristics, such as gene and protein expression, across breast cancer cell types toward providing a greater understanding of context-specific features central to this disease. Motivated by the goal of defining central biological themes across breast cancer cell subtypes, we conducted a global proteomic analysis of three breast cancer cell lines, MCF7, SK-BR-3, and MDA-MB-231, and compared these to a model of nontransformed mammary cells (MCF10A). Our results demonstrate modulation of proteins localized to the extracellular matrix, plasma membrane, and nucleus, along with coordinate decreases in proteins that regulate "cell spreading," a cellular event previously shown to be dysregulated in transformed cells. Protein interaction network analysis revealed the clustering of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a fundamental regulator of cell spreading, with several proteins identified as mutually, differentially abundant across breast cancer cell lines that impact expression and activity of FAK, such as neprilysin and keratin 19. These analyses provide insights into conservation of protein expression across breast cancer cell subtypes, a subset of which warrants further investigation for their roles in the regulation of cell spreading and FAK in breast cancer.

Endogenous myoglobin in human breast cancer is a hallmark of luminal cancer phenotype

Background:

We aimed to clarify the incidence and the clinicopathological value of non-muscle myoglobin (Mb) in a large cohort of non-invasive and invasive breast cancer cases.

Methods:

Matched pairs of breast tissues from 10 patients plus 17 breast cell lines were screened by quantitative PCR for Mb mRNA. In addition, 917 invasive and 155 non-invasive breast cancer cases were analysed by immunohistochemistry for Mb expression and correlated to clinicopathological parameters and basal molecular characteristics including oestrogen receptor-α (ERα)/progesteron receptor (PR)/HER2, fatty acid synthase (FASN), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), HIF-2α, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX). The spatial relationship of Mb and ERα or FASN was followed up by double immunofluorescence. Finally, the effects of estradiol treatment and FASN inhibition on Mb expression in breast cancer cells were analysed.

Results:

Myoglobin mRNA was found in a subset of breast cancer cell lines; in microdissected tumours Mb transcript was markedly upregulated. In all, 71% of tumours displayed Mb protein expression in significant correlation with a positive hormone receptor status and better prognosis. In silico data mining confirmed higher Mb levels in luminal-type breast cancer. Myoglobin was also correlated to FASN, HIF-2α and CAIX, but not to HIF-1α or GLUT1, suggesting hypoxia to participate in its regulation. Double immunofluorescence showed a cellular co-expression of ERα or FASN and Mb. In addition, Mb levels were modulated on estradiol treatment and FASN inhibition in a cell model.

Conclusion:

We conclude that in breast cancer, Mb is co-expressed with ERα and co-regulated by oestrogen signalling and can be considered a hallmark of luminal breast cancer phenotype. This and its possible new role in fatty acid metabolism may have fundamental implications for our understanding of Mb in solid tumours.