Abstract
Background: A gene located on the q11.23 region of the male chromosome, RBMY, which plays a role in spermatogenesis, is down-regulated in testicular cancer. RBMY is a diverged X-Y shared gene. The corresponding X chromosome gene, RBMX, is located on Xq26. Materials and Methods: We studied fresh tissues from 122 infiltrating breast cancers (99 ductal infiltrating, 19 lobular infiltrating and 4 tubular carcinomas) for the expression of RBMX by means of differential RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), using beta-actin as an internal control and normalization standard. The obtained results were compared with all available clinical and molecular data of the studied tumors (estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER & PR), c-erb-B2, p53, Ki67, DNA-ploidy, Bcl-2, VEGF, CD105 (endoglin), histologic variety, histologic and nuclear grade and axillary node invasion). Results: RBMX RT-PCR was successful in 120/122 instances. All 120 cases expressed RBMX. The only significant correlation found between RBMX expression and all the variables tested was an inverse one with CD105 (endoglin) mRNA-expression (r=-3063; p=0.0007). Conclusion: The X-chromosome RBMX gene is expressed in all breast cancers. The expression is inversely correlated with the expression of the angiogenesis-associated CD105 (endoglin) gene. The precise meaning of this association has still to be elucidated.
Footnotes
- Received August 25, 2003.
- Accepted December 29, 2003.
- Copyright© 2004 International Institute of Anticaner Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved