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Small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) has the potential to be a marker for predicting hematogenous micrometastasis and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

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Abstract

To investigate the potential role of small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) as a marker for detecting hematogenous micrometastasis in breast cancer and explore its clinical significance in neoadjuvant chemotherapy. SBEM protein expression in 82 tissue specimens of primary breast cancer was detected using immunohistochemistry (IHC), and SBEM expression in peripheral blood (PB) samples of 109 primary breast cancer patients (94 cases at stage I–III, 15 cases at stage IV) was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, SBEM mRNA expression was monitored by quantification real-time PCR (QPCR) before and after 3 cycles’ neoadjuvant chemotherapy. SBEM expression correlated with tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging and lymph node metastasis at both mRNA and protein levels. SBEM expression in PB of breast cancer patients was markedly higher than that of healthy donors and other cancer patients. SBEM was found expressed in PB of 50 cases among 94 cases at stage I–III and expressed in PB of 11 cases among 15 cases at stage IV. After 3 cycles’ neoadjuvant chemotherapy, SBEM expression levels were significantly down-regulated in up to 58% breast cancer patients. SBEM has the potential to be a specific marker for predicting hematogenous micrometastasis and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.

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Abbreviations

SBEM:

Small breast epithelial mucin

IHC:

Immunohistochemistry

PB:

Peripheral blood

FCM:

Flow cytometry

RT–PCR:

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

QPCR:

Quantification real-time PCR

TNM:

Tumor node metastasis

PBS:

Phosphate buffered saline

FITC:

Fluorescein isothiocyanate

GAPDH:

Gluceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase

LNM:

Lymph node metastasis

HE:

Hematoxylin eosin

TMA:

Tissue microarray

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Yang Ming for expert technical assistance with immunohistochemistry. We thank Dr. Piao Ying, Dr. Ding Zhenyu and Dr. Li Bing for secretarial and organizational support in our experiments. We also thank prof. Liu Yongye for critical revision of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oncology Department, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, 110016, Shenyang, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Zhao-Zhe Liu, Xiao-Dong Xie, Shu-Xian Qu & Zhen-Dong Zheng

  2. Key Dermatology Laboratory of the Ministry of Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 110001, Shenyang, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Ya-Kun Wang

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  1. Zhao-Zhe Liu
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  2. Xiao-Dong Xie
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  3. Shu-Xian Qu
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Correspondence to Xiao-Dong Xie.

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Liu, ZZ., Xie, XD., Qu, SX. et al. Small breast epithelial mucin (SBEM) has the potential to be a marker for predicting hematogenous micrometastasis and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Clin Exp Metastasis 27, 251–259 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10585-010-9323-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10585-010-9323-2

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