학술논문
Gene expression of ceramide kinase, galactosyl ceramide synthase and ganglioside GD3 synthase is associated with prognosis in breast cancer
Document Type
Report
Author
Source
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology. August, 2009, Vol. 135 Issue 8, p1005, 9 p.
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
0171-5216
Abstract
Purpose Sphingolipids are bioactive lipids implicated in apoptosis, cell survival and proliferation. We analyzed the prognostic value of enzymes from sphingolipid metabolism in breast cancer. Methods Differences in expression of ceramide galactosyl transferase (UGT8), ceramide kinase (CERK), and Ganglioside GD3-Synthase (ST8SIA1) in breast cancer cells were investigated by using microarray data of 1,581 tumor samples. Results UGT8, CERK, and ST8SIA1 were associated with poor pathohistological grading (P < 0.001). High CERK expression was correlated with ErbB2 status (P = 0.006). Among ER positive breast cancers a significant worse prognosis for patients with tumors showing low ST8SIA1 and UGT8 expression was observed. In the ER negative subgroup those samples with high CERK expression displayed a worse prognosis. In a multivariate analysis only ST8SIA1 and tumor size remained significant. Conclusions Our experiments reveal that expression of enzymes from the sphingolipid metabolism has prognostic implications in breast cancer.