Assessment of Cyclin E Gene Amplification as a Biomarker in Isfahan Province Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Cell-cycle is controlled by regulatory proteins called cyclins and Cyclin-Dependent Kinases. Aberrant activity of cyclins plays an important role in cancer development and progression. The Cyclin E gene, called CCNE1 or pCCNE1, is one of the four cyclins groups of the cell cycle, reported in a variety of cancers as well as breast cancer, and is a notice target in cancer research. In this regard, Cyclin E gene amplification in breast cancer patients was evaluated and investigated and its capacity as a molecular biomarker was assessed.

Tumor tissue samples as well as adjacent healthy tissues, were excised and collected from breast cancer patients undergoing surgery in Al-Zahra hospital. Genomic DNA was extracted using phenol-chloroform method. The extracted products concentration was normalized and applied in Real-time PCR technique. Amplification of aforementioned gene was determined by calculating Cts using 2-∆∆Ct method and was evaluated by Wilcoxon statistical test.

The Cyclin E gene amplification in breast cancer tissue was significantly higher than healthy tissue (p = 0.002). Furthermore, the amplification of Cyclin E gene was investigated as a breast cancer biomarker by the ROC curve statistical analysis.

The results revealed, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was close in 70 percent. As a result, the Cyclin E gene amplification in neoplasm dramatically increases and can be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.