Transcription profiling of human breast cancer metastasis to the brain to identify genes involved

ABSTRACT: Brain metastasis is one of the most feared complications of cancer and the most common intracranial malignancy in adults. Its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. From breast cancer patients with metastatic disease we isolated cell populations that aggressively colonize the brain. Transcriptomic analysis of these cells yielded overlapping gene sets whose expression is selectively associated with brain metastasis. The expression of seventeen of these genes in primary breast tumors is associated with brain relapse in breast cancer patients. Some of these genes are also associated with metastasis to lung but not to liver, bone or lymph nodes, providing a molecular basis for the long-observed clinical link between brain and lung metastasis. Among the functionally validated brain metastasis genes, the cyclooxygenase COX-2, the EGFR ligand HB-EGF, and the brain-specific α2-6 sialyltransferase ST6GALNAC5 mediate cancer cell passage through the blood-brain barrier. Other brain metastasis genes encode inflammatory factors and brain-specific proteolytic regulators, suggesting a multifaceted program for breast cancer colonization of the brain. Experiment Overall Design: Two different breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and freshly isolated pleural effusion CN34 were used in this study. The MDA-MB-231 group contains three biological replicates of the parental, unselected population, and 4 brain metastatic isolates. CN34 contains 2 biological replicates of the parental, unselected population, and 4 brain metastatic isolates. In each case, the parental population was compared to the brain metastatic isolates to identify gene expression changes associated with the brain metastatic phenotype.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Bos Paula 

PROVIDER: S-ECPF-GEOD-12237 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other