Mammaglobin B expression in human endometrial cancer

Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2008 Sep-Oct;18(5):1090-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1438.2007.01137.x. Epub 2007 Nov 16.

Abstract

Mammaglobin B (MGB-2) is an uteroglobin gene family member recently found highly differentially expressed in ovarian cancer by gene expression profiling. To evaluate its potential as a novel endometrial cancer biomarker, in this study we quantified and compared MGB-2 expression at messenger RNA and protein levels in endometrial tumors (endometrioid endometrial cancer [EEC]) with different grades of differentiation. MGB-2 expression was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in fresh frozen biopsies and paraffin-embedded tissues derived from a total of 70 patients including 50 primary EEC and 20 normal endometria (NECs). High levels of MGB-2 gene expression were detected in 10 of 11 EEC G1 cases (91%), 16 of 17 EEC G2 cases (94%), and 6 of 22 EEC G3 cases (27%) by real-time PCR. In contrast, normal endometrial cells expressed low to negligible levels of MGB-2 by real-time PCR (P = 0.002 EEC vs NEC). Well- and moderately differentiated EECs overexpressed MGB-2 gene at significant higher levels when compared to NECs (P < 0.01). Pairwise differences between both G2 and G1 vs G3 cases for MGB-2 relative gene expression values were also statistically significant (G2 vs G3 P < 0.001, G1 vs G3 P = 0.016). MGB-2 protein expression was detected in 31 (86%) of 36 EEC and 0 of 5 atrophic NEC controls, while seven of eight (88%) of the proliferative/secretory/hyperplastic NECs focally expressed MGB-2 by IHC. MGB-2 is highly expressed in EEC, particularly in well- and moderately differentiated tumors, and may represent a novel molecular marker for EEC.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / genetics
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / pathology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Health
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mammaglobin B
  • Middle Aged
  • Myelin Proteins / genetics
  • Myelin Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Proteolipids / genetics
  • Proteolipids / metabolism*
  • Secretoglobins
  • Uteroglobin / genetics
  • Uteroglobin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Mammaglobin B
  • Myelin Proteins
  • Proteolipids
  • SCGB2A1 protein, human
  • Secretoglobins
  • Uteroglobin