Amplification of HSD17B1 and ERBB2 in primary breast cancer

Gunnarsson, C., Ahnström, M., Kirschner, K. , Olsson, B., Nordenskjöld, B., Rutqvist, L. E., Skoog, L. and Stål, O. (2003) Amplification of HSD17B1 and ERBB2 in primary breast cancer. Oncogene, 22(1), pp. 34-40. (doi: 10.1038/sj.onc.1206078) (PMID:12527905)

Abstract

Estrogens play a crucial role in the development of breast cancer. Estradiol can be produced in the breast tissue in situ, and one of the enzymes involved in this process is 17beta-hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) type 1 that catalyzes the interconversion of estrone (E1) to the biologically more potent estradiol (E2). The gene coding for 17beta-HSD type 1 (HSD17B1) is located at 17q12–21, close to the more studied ERBB2 and BRCA1. The aim of this study was to investigate if HSD17B1 shows an altered gene copy number in breast cancer. We used real-time PCR and examined 221 postmenopausal breast tumors for amplification of HSD17B1 and ERBB2. In all, 32 tumors (14.5%) showed amplification of HSD17B1 and 21% were amplified for ERBB2. Amplification of the two genes was correlated (P=0.00078) and in 14 tumors (44%) with amplification of HSD17B1, ERBB2 was co amplified. The patients with amplification in at least one of the genes had a significantly worse outcome than patients without (P=0.0059). For estrogen receptor (ER)-positive patients who received adjuvant tamoxifen, amplification of HSD17B1 was related to decreased breast cancer survival (P=0.017), whereas amplification of ERRB2 was not. Amplification of HSD17B1 might be an indicator of adverse prognosis among ER-positive patients, and possibly a mechanism for decreased benefit from tamoxifen treatment.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Kirschner, Dr Kristina
• Authors: Gunnarsson, C., Ahnström, M., Kirschner, K., Olsson, B., Nordenskjöld, B., Rutqvist, L. E., Skoog, L., and Stål, O.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences
• Journal Name: Oncogene
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• ISSN: 0950-9232
• ISSN (Online): 1476-5594