MHC Genes and Breast Cancer
Abstract
We wished to ascertain whether the failure to inherit putative protective alleles of HLA class II genes is linked to the development of breast cancer. We molecularly typed HLA DPB1, DQB1, DRB1 and DRB3 alleles in 176 Caucasian women diagnosed with early onset breast cancer, and in 215 ethnically matched controls. HLA DQB*03032 was identified in 7% of controls but in no patients with early onset breast cancer (p = 0.0001). HLA DRB1*11 alleles were also significantly overrepresented (p <0.0001) in controls (16.3%) as compared with patients with early onset breast cancer (3.5%). HLA DQB*03032 and HLA DRB 1*11 alleles may have a protective role in human breast cancer. We have identified a protein expressed at very low levels during development and which is expressed at very high levels in a proportion of breast tumors, and may therefore represent a relevant antigen. This protein, a kinase called PKK, was cloned in our laboratory and has been shown to functionally connected to a kinase downstream of the EGF receptor, suggesting that high level PKK expression may be relevant to breast tumorigenesis. In unpublished studies by another group, this protein was identified by screening expression libraries using sera from breast cancer patients.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA405179
Entities
People
- Shiv S. Pillai
Organizations
- Massachusetts General Hospital