miR-210 and miR-152 as Biomarkers by Liquid Biopsy in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.

Detecting circulating microRNAs (miRNAs; miRs) by means of liquid biopsy is an important tool for the early diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer (BC). We aimed to identify and validate miR-210 and miR-152 as non-invasive circulating biomarkers, for the diagnosis and staging of BC patients, confirming their involvement in tumor angiogenesis. METHODS: RT-qPCR was performed and MiRNA expression analysis was obtained from plasma and fragments of BC and benign breast condition (BBC) women patients, plus healthy subjects. Additionally, the immunohistochemistry technique was carried out to analyze the expression of target proteins. RESULTS: Tumor fragments showed increased expression of oncomiR-210 and decreased expression of miR-152 tumoral suppressor. Both miRNAs were increased in plasma samples from BC patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that only the expression of oncomiR-210 in tissue samples and only the expression of the miR-152 suppressor in plasma have the appropriate sensitivity and specificity for use as differential biomarkers between early/intermediate and advanced stages of BC patients. In addition, there was an increase in the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in BC patients. On the contrary, a decrease in Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein expression was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that increased levels of miR-210 and decreased levels of miR152, in addition to the expressions of their target proteins, could indicate, respectively, the oncogenic and tumor suppressive role of these miRNAs in fragments. Both miRNAs are potential diagnostic biomarkers for BC by liquid biopsy. In addition, miR-152 proved to be a promising biomarker for disease staging.

Immunohistochemical Expression of Melatonin Receptor MT1 and Glucose Transporter GLUT1 in Human Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Even after diagnosis, the prognosis cannot be concluded since patients can develop resistance to therapy, which favors tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. In recent years, research has focused on identifying significant markers that can be used to determine the prognosis. Melatonin can act through G protein- coupled MT1 receptor, which controls selected protein kinases, influences the levels of transcription factor phosphorylation, specific genes expression, proliferation, angiogenesis, cell differentiation, migration, and indirectly controls the transport of glucose in cancer cells. It is known that glucose enters the cells by glucose transporters, such as GLUT1 which shows wide tissue distribution and appears to be altered in human breast carcinoma. High GLUT1 expression is associated with increased malignant potential, invasiveness and poor prognosis in some cancers including breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of MT1 receptor and GLUT1 in breast tumors and correlate with molecular subtypes and prognostic characteristics. METHOD: Protein expression was performed by an immunohistochemical procedure with specific antibodies and positive and negative controls. RESULTS: We found that MT1 high expression was associated with good prognosis subtype (Luminal A), while GLUT1 high expression was related to poor prognosis subtype (triple-negative). In addition, we found high expression of MT1 in ER+ and the inverse in GLUT1 expression. GLUT1 is also highly expressed in tumor ≥20mm. CONCLUSION: These results indicate MT1 and GLUT1 as potential targets for breast cancer subtypes and prognosis.

Glutathione transferase pi (GSTpi) expression in breast cancer: an immunohistochemical and molecular study.

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women worldwide. Prognostic markers are important for diagnosis, allowing therapeutic strategies to be defined more efficiently. The expression of the glutathione S-transferase pi isoenzyme (GSTpi) in tumor cells has been evaluated as a predictor of prognosis and in response to cytotoxic treatments. Its immunoexpression was assessed in 63 women diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in a retrospective study. The results were statistically correlated with clinicopathological parameters of patients. The results showed that high GSTpi expression was related to p53-positive tumors, grade III histology, large tumor size and death (p<0.05). The 37 patients who received adjuvant treatment, checked separately, showed high expression of GSTpi in relation to local recurrence, metastasis and death (p<0.05). In addition, high levels of GSTpi expression were significantly associated with a shorter overall survival (p<0.05). To confirm this suspicion, GSTpi gene expression was checked by Real-time PCR in neoplastic mammary cells cultured and subjected to treatment with doxorubicin. Our results suggest that high levels of GSTpi may be related to the development of resistance to chemotherapy in these tumors, the response of these tumors to treatment and the clinical course of the patients involved.

Linfoma não-hodgkin primário de mama simulando mastite / Primary breast non-hodgkin lymphoma mimiching mastitis

Os autores apresentam o caso de uma paciente de 78 anos com linfoma não-hodgkin (LÑH) primário de mama simulando mastite sendo que, com a piora progressiva do quadro, procurou nossos serviços, onde foi diagnosticado, por biópsia, linfoma maligno não-hodgkin. O objetivo do trabalho é atentar para o diagnóstico diferencial de mastite, carcinoma inflamatório e LÑH de mama quando há envolvimento linfomatoso da pele