Progesterone Receptor Isoform Ratio: A Breast Cancer Prognostic and Predictive Factor for Antiprogestin Responsiveness
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
Authors: Rojas, Paola A.; May, Maria; Sequeira, Gonzalo R.; Elia, Andres; Alvarez, Michelle; Martinez, Paula; Gonzalez, Pedro; Hewitt, Stephen; He, Xiaping; Perou, Charles M.; Molinolo, Alfredo; Gibbons, Luz; Abba, Martin C.; Gass, Hugo; Lanari, Claudia
Abstract
Background: Compelling evidence shows that progestins regulate breast cancer growth. Using preclinical models, we demonstrated that antiprogestins are inhibitory when the level of progesterone receptor isoform A (PR-A) is higher than that of isoform B (PR-B) and that they might stimulate growth when PR-B is predominant. The aims of this study were to investigate ex vivo responses to mifepristone (MFP) in breast carcinomas with different PR isoform ratios and to examine their clinical and molecular characteristics. Methods: We performed human breast cancer tissue culture assays (n=36) to evaluate the effect of MFP on cell proliferation. PR isoform expression was determined by immunoblotting (n=282). Tumors were categorized as PRA-H (PR-A/PR-B >= 1.2) or PRB-H (PR-A/PR-B <= 0.83). RNA was extracted for Ribo-Zero-Seq sequencing to evaluate differentially expressed genes. Subtypes and risk scores were predicted using the PAM50 gene set, the data analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas RNA-seq gene analysis and other publicly available gene expression data. Tissue microarrays were performed using paraffin-embedded tissues (PRA-H n=53, PRB-H n=24), and protein expression analyzed by immunohistochemistry. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: One hundred sixteen out of 222 (52.3%) PR+ tumors were PRA-H, and 64 (28.8%) PRB-H. Cell proliferation was inhibited by MFP in 19 of 19 tissue cultures from PRA-H tumors. A total of 139 transcripts related to proliferative pathways were differentially expressed in nine PRA-H and seven PRB-H tumors. PRB-H and PRA-H tumors were either luminal B or A phenotypes, respectively (P=.03). PRB-H cases were associated with shorter relapse-free survival (hazard ratio [HR]=2.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.71 to 6.20, P=.02) and distant metastasis-free survival (HR=4.17, 95% CI=2.18 to 7.97, P<.001). PRB-H tumors showed increased tumor size (P<.001), Ki-67 levels (P<.001), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression (P=.04), high grades (P=.03), and decreased total PR (P=.004) compared with PRA-H tumors. MUC-2 (P<.001) and KRT6A (P=.02) were also overexpressed in PRB-H tumors. Conclusion: The PRA/PRB ratio is a prognostic and predictive factor for antiprogestin responsiveness in breast cancer.
Proteome Profiling of the Exhaled Breath Condensate after Long-Term Spaceflights
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
Authors: Kononikhin, Alexey S.; Brzhozovskiy, Alexander G.; Ryabokon, Anna M.; Fedorchenko, Kristina; Zhakharova, Natalia V.; Spasskii, Alexander I.; Popov, Igor A.; Ilyin, Vyacheslav K.; Solovyova, Zoya O.; Pastushkova, Lyudmila Kh.; Polyakov, Alexey V.; Varfolomeev, Sergey D.; Larina, Irina M.; Nikolaev, Evgeny N.
Abstract
Comprehensive studies of the effects of prolonged exposure to space conditions and the overload experienced during landing on physiological and biochemical changes in the human body are extremely important in the context of planning long-distance space flights, which can be associated with constant overloads and various risk factors for significant physiological changes. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) can be considered as a valuable subject for monitoring physiological changes and is more suitable for long-term storage than traditional monitoring subjects such as blood and urine. Herein, the EBC proteome changes due to the effects of spaceflight factors are analyzed. Thirteen EBC samples were collected from five Russian cosmonauts (i) one month before flight (background), (ii) immediately upon landing modules in the field (R0) after 169-199 days spaceflights, and (iii) on the seventh day after landing (R+7). Semi-quantitative label-free EBC proteomic analysis resulted in 164 proteins, the highest number of which was detected in EBC after landing (R0). Pathways enrichment analysis using the GO database reveals a large group of proteins which take part in keratinization processes (CASP14, DSG1, DSP, JUP, and so on). Nine proteins (including KRT2, KRT9, KRT1, KRT10, KRT14, DCD, KRT6C, KRT6A, and KRT5) were detected in all three groups. A two-sample Welch's t-test identified a significant change in KRT2 and KRT9 levels after landing. Enrichment analysis using the KEGG database revealed the significant participation of detected proteins in pathogenic E. coli infection (ACTG1, TUBA1C, TUBA4A, TUBB, TUBB8, and YWHAZ), which may indicate microbiota changes associated with being in space. This assumption is confirmed by microbial composition analysis. In general, the results suggest that EBC can be used for noninvasive monitoring of health status and respiratory tract pathologies during spaceflights, and that the obtained data are important for the development of medicine for use in extreme situations. Data are available from ProteomeXchange using the identifier PXD014191.