Expression analysis of CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL10 in breast cancer: an insight into the inflammatory microenvironment

Background & objective: Breast cancer (BC) remains a predominant malignancy in women, with rising incidence in younger populations. The tumor's inflammatory microenvironment plays a pivotal role in disease progression. This study evaluates the expression of three key chemokines— Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (CCL2), Regulated Upon Activation, Normal T Cell Expressed and Secreted (CCL5), and Interferon Gamma-Induced Protein 10 (CXCL10) —in BC patients, aiming to uncover their diagnostic and prognostic significance. Methodology: BC patients who participated in this study were 100 people who were selected from the Kirkuk Oncology and Hematology Hospital in Kirkuk Governorate (Iraq) from December 2022 to May 2023, and 100 people were considered as a control group after examining them and making sure that they did not have any breast problems or any other health problems. DNA was extracted using the EasyPure Blood Genomic DNA Kit (Lot #X23T7, BioTrans, USA), and gene amplification was performed using conventional PCR with custom-designed primers validated through Primer-BLAST. PCR products were assessed via 1% agarose gel electrophoresis at 110 V for 15 minutes. Internal control genes (β-actin) were used. Duplicate PCR plating and technical replicates were included for quality control and reproducibility. Results: Clear amplification of the three chemokine genes was observed: CCL2 (490 bp), CCL5 (481 bp), and CXCL10 (310 bp). Elevated expression was noted in late-stage BC patients. DNA quality was verified using NanoDrop OneC (Thermo Scientific, v1.6.3), and all samples passed quality assurance thresholds (A260/280 ≥ 1.8). Conclusion: The study highlights the presence of CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL10 in BC and highlights their roles as biomarkers in the BC investigation and therapeutic targets. These results contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that form the basis of breast cancer and highlight the value of chemokine profiling in disease management, prognosis, and treatment planning. Abbreviations: BC: Breast cancer, CCL2: C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2, CCL5: C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2, CCR: chemokine receptor, CXCL10: C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10, MCP-1: Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1, PCR: polymerase chain reaction Keywords: Biomarkers; Breast Cancer; Chemokines; Tumor Microenvironment; PCR; Polymerase Chain Reaction Citation: Zainalbden HA, Arslan E, Alsaimary IE. Expression analysis of CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL10 in breast cancer: an insight into the inflammatory microenvironment. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2025;29(6):513-519. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v29i6.2901 Received: May 09, 2024; Revised: October 26, 2024; Accepted: January 01, 2025