Differential Expression of TFF Genes and Proteins in Breast Tumors

Overview

Journal Acta Clin Croat

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2018 Nov 16

PMID 30431719

Citations 4

Authors

Maja Tolusic Levak

Martina Mihalj

Ivan Koprivcic

Ivana Lovric

Sanja Novak

Nikola Bijelic

Mirela Baus-Loncar

Tatjana Belovari

Kristina Kralik

Biljana Pauzar

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine differential expression of TFF1, TFF2 and TFF3 genes and proteins in breast tumor subtypes. In addition, we investigated the correlation between TFF genes within tumor subgroups, and TFF genes with clinical and pathologic characteristics of the tumor. Study group included 122 patients with surgically removed breast tumors. Samples were investigated using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. TFF1 and TFF3 genes and proteins were expressed in breast tumors, while the levels of TFF2 gene and protein expression were very low or undetectable. TFF1 was significantly more expressed in benign tumors, while TFF3 was more expressed in malignant tumors. Gene and protein expression of both TFF1 and TFF3 was greater in lymph node-negative tumors, hormone positive tumors, tumors with moderate levels of Ki67 expression, and in grade II tumors. A strong positive correlation was found between TFF1 and TFF3 genes, and the expression of both negatively correlated with Ki67 and the level of tumor histologic differentiation. Our results suggest that TFF1 and TFF3, but not TFF2, may have a role in breast tumor pathogenesis and could be used in the assessment of tumor differentiation and malignancy.

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