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Analysis of HOX Gene Expression Patterns in Human Breast Cancer

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Abstract

HOX genes are highly conserved transcription factors that determine the identity of cells and tissues along the anterior–posterior body axis in developing embryos. Aberrations in HOX gene expression have been shown in various tumors. However, the correlation of HOX gene expression patterns with tumorigenesis and cancer progression has not been fully characterized. Here, to analyze putative candidate HOX genes involved in breast cancer tumorigenesis and progression, the expression patterns of 39 HOX genes were analyzed using breast cancer cell lines and patient-derived breast tissues. In vitro analysis revealed that HOXA and HOXB gene expression occurred in a subtype-specific manner in breast cancer cell lines, whereas most HOXC genes were strongly expressed in most cell lines. Among the 39 HOX genes analyzed, 25 were chosen for further analysis in malignant and non-malignant tissues. Fourteen genes, encoding HOXA6, A13, B2, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, C5, C9, C13, D1, and D8, out of 25 showed statistically significant differential expression patterns between non-malignant and malignant breast tissues and are putative candidates associated with the development and malignant progression of breast cancer. Our data provide a valuable resource for furthering our understanding of HOX gene expression in breast cancer and the possible involvement of HOX genes in tumor progression.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by funds from the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital (2010-01), the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2010-0026759, 2010-0025149, 2013008399), and partly by a Grant from the BioGreen 21 Program, RDA, Korea (PJ00905601).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, 410-719, Korea

    Ho Hur

  2. Embryology Laboratory, Department of Anatomy, and Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 120-752, Korea

    Ji-Yeon Lee, Hyo Jung Yun & Myoung Hee Kim

  3. Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 120-752, Korea

    Ho Hur & Byeong Woo Park

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  1. Ho Hur
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  2. Ji-Yeon Lee
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Correspondence to Myoung Hee Kim.

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Ho Hur, Ji-Yeon Lee, and Hyo Jung Yun have contributed equally to this work.

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Hur, H., Lee, JY., Yun, H.J. et al. Analysis of HOX Gene Expression Patterns in Human Breast Cancer. Mol Biotechnol 56, 64–71 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12033-013-9682-4

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