Accession Number:

ADA411488

Title:

Genetic Determinants of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Descriptive Note:

Annual rept. 15 Jun 2001-14 Jun 2002

Corporate Author:

MICHIGAN UNIV ANN ARBOR

Personal Author(s):

• Merajver, Sofia D.

Report Date:

2002-07-01

Pagination or Media Count:

76.0

Abstract:

Primary inflammatory breast cancer IBC accounts for approximately 6 of new breast cancers annually. We hypothesize that a limited number of concordant genetic alterations give rise to the unique aggressive inflammatory phenotype of IBC. While working on the genetic determinants underlying the IBC phenotype, we found concordant and consistent alterations of two genes, RhoC GTPase and a novel IGF-binding protein IGF-BP, in patients with IBC. RhoC was overexpressed in 90 of IBC samples examined compared to 30 of stage matched non-IBC tumors. LIBC was lost in 80 of the lBC samples and only 20 of the non-IBC samples examined. Since RhoC and LIEC appear to act in concert in lBC, coupled to the preliminary evidence from other laboratories of genes from these families playing a role in pancreatic cancer another highly aggressive adenocarcinoma, they are excellent candidate genes to begin to probe the genetic basis of the aggressive phenotype in lBC. We hypothesize that the phenotype of IBC is due to alterations in expression of RhoC and ICF-BP early in tumorigenesis. We will elucidate the signalingpathway downstream from RhoC GTPase and attempt to determine what effect RhoC and LIEC have on cellular motility and invasion.

Descriptors:

• *INFLAMMATION
• *GENETICS
• *BREAST CANCER
• PRODUCTION
• NEOPLASMS
• GENES
• LABORATORIES
• PANCREAS

Subject Categories:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Medicine and Medical Research

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE