TITLE:
Grade Dependent Expression of Growth Factor Receptors and Signaling Molecules in Breast Cancer
AUTHORS:
Chellakkan Selvanesan Benson, Somasundaram Dinesh Babu, Selvi Radhakrishna, Nagarajan Selvamurugan, Bhaskaran Ravi Sankar
KEYWORDS:
Breast Cancer; Growth Factors; IGF-IR; EGF-R; Cancer Grade; Steroid Receptor
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cancer Therapy,
Vol.4 No.7A,
July
22,
2013
ABSTRACT: Growth factor
signaling plays a key role in the growth and development of breast. Aberrant
expression and activation of growth factors like insulin like growth factor-I
(IGF-I) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) and their downstream signaling has been implicated in breast cancer. The
deregulation of growth factor signaling is associated with increased proliferation
and cell survival, decreased apoptosis, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis.
The aim of the present study is to survey the different signaling molecules
involved in the IGF and EGF signaling pathways, and to find if there are any
relationship between breast cancer and their levels and activation. Thirty-nine samples of breast cancer tissues (24 Grade II and
15 Grade III tumours) and sixteen normal breast tissue samples were collected.
The expression of the receptors and signaling
molecules were investigated using Western blot. IGF-IRβ, AR, pAkt, IKK-α and p38 are upregulated in cancer tissues in a grade depended manner.
Further, Akt and β-catenin were also
upregulated in cancer samples. Correlation analysis of signaling molecules
revealed a disruption in their expression in cancer tissues. The present study
shows that various signaling molecules are upregulated or activated in cancer
tissues involving IGF-IR and Akt pathway. The
expression of signaling molecules in the cancer tissues were deregulated when
compared to the control samples. Thus,
flawed expression and over activation of Akt pathway is seen in the breast
cancer tissues.