Abstract 7085: Analysis of gene expression pattern of glycosphingolipid synthases using tumor tissues from breast cancer patients to identify key targets for early diagnosis and protection of recurrence

Abstract Breast cancer become the most common types of cancer in Bangladesh (female), and accounted 13028 new cases and 6783 deaths in 2020. No efficient therapy has been developed although anti-HER2 antibody therapy has been tried, showing some effects. We need to detect breast cancers at early stage of evolution and also of recurrence, and develop more effective way than the current approaches to eradicate breast cancers. In order to achieve these purposes, it seems essential to find breast cancer-specific antigens as a marker and/or therapeutic targets. Recently, some interesting and promising findings on breast cancers have been reported. For example, ganglioside GD2 was reported to be a marker of breast cancer stem cels, and also play roles in the carcinogenesis. GD3, Gb3 have an association in tumorigenesis as well as cel proliferation, adhesion and migration. More important marker antigens of breast cancers might be present. Aims of the study are to identify novel breast cancer-associated glycolipids including their synthetic enzyme genes, using many surgical specimens and sera from breast cancer patients. Tumor and healthy tissues were collected after surgical resection from hospitals and clinics. Samples are immediately transferred to the laboratory. mRNA was extracted using TRIzol method. cDNA was converted from mRNA using Reverse Transcriptase. qRT-PCR was performed to analyze glycosyltransferase gene expression pattern. Expression of glycolipid GD3-synthase (ST8SIA1), GD2-synthase (B4GALNT1), and Gb3 synthase (A4GALT) are analyzed by RT-PCR using tumor tissues from breast cancer patients. GD2-synthase expression level found significantly higher in tumor tissues compared to healthy tissues. GD3 and Gb3 synthases did not show significant difference between tumor tissues and healthy tissues. GD2 are upregulated in breast cancer patients. This gene may be a novel biomarker for breast cancer and may be useful to design therapeutic drug. Citation Format: Kanchan Chakma, Robiul Hasan Bhuiyan, Farhana Yesmin, Koichi Furukawa. Analysis of gene expression pattern of glycosphingolipid synthases using tumor tissues from breast cancer patients to identify key targets for early diagnosis and protection of recurrence [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 7085.