Cancer Science & Therapy

Differences in Gene Expression Profiles between Human Breast Tissue and Peripheral Blood Samples for Breast Cancer Detection

Abstract

Mahesh Kandula, Kalyana Kumar Ch, Ravi Kanth K, Laxmi Addala VV, Sudha Murthy and YS Ammi Raju

The purpose of this study is to check the similarities of differential gene expression of 11 genes in breast cancer tissue and blood samples from the same individual for early detection of breast cancer. We had investigated differential gene expression by qRT-PCR in 20 breast cancer patients’ tumoral tissues and corresponding blood sample. In our analysis BRCA2, HER-2, ER, PR, MET and BRAF mRNA levels were significantly over expressed in tumoral tissues. ER and PR mRNA levels were not detected in any of the peripheral blood samples, whereas KRAS and PTEN mRNA levels were not detected in any of the tumoral tissues. HER-2 (45%), EGFR (40%) and PI3KCA (30%). KRAS and PTEN mRNA levels were significantly over expressed in peripheral blood. In the correlation analysis expression of most of the genes were significantly altered in grade II and III in the tissues, where as in premenopausal women mRNA expression was significantly high in Grade II and III and ER/PR negative tumors. Our results suggests that BRCA2, ER, PR, PI3KCA, MET and BRAF differential gene expression at mRNA levels showed no diagnostic value as a marker of circulating tumour cells in breast cancer. qRT-PCR may be suitable alternative method for the determination of HER-2, EGFR, PI3KCA KRAS and PTEN mRNA status in the blood of breast cancer patients. Premenopausal women with high grade (Grade II and III) and ER/PR negative cases may be associated with proliferation/metastasis, high recurrence rate, and poor prognosis.