Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2008, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (4): 303-307.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2008.04.014

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Upregulation of CXCR4 and HER2_mediated Breast Cancer Metastasis

YANG Qing_ling1, DING Yong_xing2, LI Cheng_hua2,CHEN Chang_jie1, ZHANG Ju1, WANG Hui1   

  1. 1.Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000,Anhui; 2. Branch of Tumor, The Central Hospital of Bengbu, Bengbu 233000, Anhui,China
  • Received:2007-09-11 Revised:2007-10-30 Online:2008-07-30 Published:2008-07-30

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: We evaluated the expression of CXCR4 and HER2, the inhibition of Herceptin on CXCR4 expression and the in vitro metastatic action in breast cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Biomarker expression levels in paraffin_embedded tissue sections of breast cancer were evaluated using immunohistochemical staining. The protein expression of CXCR4 was studied by Western blot and the mRNA expression was by RT_PCR after treatment with Herceptin . Adhesion and chemotaxis assays were used to evalvate the effect of Herceptin on breast cancer cells with different HER2 expressions. RESULTS: Cytoplasmic CXCR4 was positively correlated with lymph node-positive tumors(P=0.032)and different stage of breast cancer(P=0.000)and the expression of HER2(P=0.015). The protein and mRNA expressions of CXCR4 were decreased after treatment with Herceptin in breast cancer cells with HER2 overexpression(P<0.05)and activity of cell adherence to fibronectin(FN) and migration to SDF_1α were inhibited. CONCLUSION: HER2_mediated homing to metastatic organs and upregulation of CXCR4 may be key factors for HER2_mediated breast cancer metastasis.

Key words: CXCR4, HER2, breast cancer, metastasis