This study evaluates the relation of the early oestrogen−regulated gene gabarapl1 to cellular growth and its prognostic significance in breast adenocarcinoma.

First, the relation between GABARAPL1 expression and MCF−7 growth rate was analysed. Thereafter, by performing macroarray and reverse transcriptase quantitative−polymerase chain reaction (RT−qPCR) experiments, gabarapl1 expression was quantified in several histological breast tumour types and in a retrospective cohort of 265 breast cancers.

GABARAPL1 overexpression inhibited MCF−7 growth rate and gabarapl1 expression was downregulated in breast tumours. Gabarapl1 mRNA levels were found to be significantly lower in tumours presenting a high histological grade, with a lymph node−positive (pN+) and oestrogen and/or progesterone receptor−negative status. In univariate analysis, high gabarapl1 levels were associated with a lower risk of metastasis in all patients (hazard ratio (HR) 4.96), as well as in pN+ patients (HR 14.96). In multivariate analysis, gabarapl1 expression remained significant in all patients (HR 3.63), as well as in pN+ patients (HR 5.65). In univariate or multivariate analysis, gabarapl1 expression did not disclose any difference in metastasis risk in lymph node−negative patients.

Our data show for the first time that the level of gabarapl1 mRNA expression in breast tumours is a good indicator of the risk of recurrence, specifically in pN+ patients. British Journal of Cancer advance online publication, 2 March 2010; doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6605568 www.bjcancer.com.

PMID: 20197771 [PubMed − as supplied by publisher] Source: National Library of Medicine.