Loss of heterozygosity of the Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (WT1) in in situ and invasive breast carcinoma

• Published in: Human pathology Vol. 30; no. 6; pp. 661 - 665
• Main Authors: Fabre, Aurelie, McCann, Amanda H, O'Shea, Donal, Broderick, Dennise, Keating, George, Tobin, Brendan, Gorey, Thomas, Dervan, Peter A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - genetics; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - genetics; DCIS; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; infiltrating carcinoma; LOH; Loss of Heterozygosity; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Transcription Factors - genetics; Tumors; WT1; WT1 Proteins; TGF; LOH; WT1; DCIS; infiltrating carcinoma; IGF; PCR; Human; Polymerase chain reaction; Mammary gland diseases; Carcinoma; Carcinoma in situ; Loss of heterozygosity; Malignant tumor; Mammary gland; Molecular biology; Carcinogenesis; Invasion; Tumor suppressor gene
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1016/S0046-8177(99)90091-6

The Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (WT1), a nuclear transcription factor, regulates the expression of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF) systems, both of which are implicated in breast tumorigenesis. WT1 allelic integrity was examined by loss of heterozygosity (LOH) studies in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS, n = 20) and fresh frozen primary invasive breast carcinomas (n = 24). Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the WT1 locus (11p13) was examined by PCR evaluation of an Hinf1 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and correlated to tumor stage (in situ and invasive). After identification of the heterozygous/informative breast lesions, 1 of 12 (8.3%) DCIS (high-grade micropapillary) and 3 of 14 (21.4%) of infiltrating carcinomas (high grade) showed loss of one allele, suggesting that LOH of the WT1 locus is a rare genetic event in early breast cancer, becoming more common in invasive and in high-grade lesions.