Recommended Citation
Worsham MJ, Chitale D, Chen KM, Datta I, and Divine G. Cell signaling events differentiate ER-negative subtypes from ER-positive breast cancer Med Oncol 2015; 32(5):565.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2015
Publication Title
Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England)
Abstract
Currently available markers routinely used in clinical practice are of limited value to patients with estrogen receptor-negative (ER(-)) breast cancer [basal-like and HER2neu-positive (HER(+))], an aggressive subtype. Our aim was to uncover molecular pathways and signaling networks exposed by differentially methylated genes informative of the biology of ER(-) breast cancer (BC) subtypes versus ER-positive (ER(+)). Whole-genome methylation array analysis was carried out using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip on 14 primary BC: five ER(+), four triple-negative (TNBC), and five ER(-)HER2(+). Degree of methylation was calculated as a β-value (ranging from 0 to 1), and M-values [log (β/(1 - β)] were used for significance tests. To identify methylated genes associated with ER(-) subtypes (TNBC and ER(-)HER2(+)) and distinct from ER(+), a weighted algorithm, developed to increase statistical rigor, called out genes in which methylation changed dramatically between ER(+) and ER(-) subtypes. Differentially methylated gene lists examined using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis called out canonical pathways and networks with clues to biological distinctiveness as well as relatedness between ER(-) subtypes as compared to ER(+) BC. The study highlights the interplay of ER(-) subtype-specific genes and their signaling pathways as potential putative fingerprints in refining classification of BC subtypes and as potential biological markers designed to hit multiple targets.
Medical Subject Headings
Biomarkers, Tumor; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Methylation; Receptor, ErbB-2; Signal Transduction
PubMed ID
25805566
Volume
32
Issue
5
First Page
142
