Analysis of differentially expressed proteins between HER2 positive and triple negative breast cancer and their prognostic significance

Ann Diagn Pathol. 2021 Dec:55:151834. doi: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2021.151834. Epub 2021 Sep 29.

Abstract

Both triple negative breast cancer (TNBA) and HER2-positive breast cancer lack expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), while human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in TNBC is also negative. This study aimed to identify the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between TNBC and HER2-positive breast cancer and to improve understanding of their role in the prognosis of breast cancer. By analyzing the breast cancer data set in The Cancer Proteome Atlas (TCPA) database, 15 DEPs between TNBC and HER2-positive breast cancer were identified. GO and pathway enrichment analysis were performed on DEPs, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. The overall survival (OS) analysis of the breast cancer protein dataset in the Kaplan-Meier plotter showed that low expression of ACC1 suggested a higher OS of HER2-positive breast cancer (HR = 5.34, P < 0.05) and TNBC (HR = 2.88, P < 0.05). And TNBC patients with high TBA1B (HR = 0.16, P < 0.01) or low INPP4B (HR = 3.47, P < 0.05) expression have a better prognosis. Our research provides new insights into the prognostic indicators of TNBC and HER2-positive breast cancer, which could be further studied.

Keywords: Differentially expressed proteins; HER2-positive breast cancer; Prognostic indicators; Triple negative breast cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Prognosis
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
  • Receptors, Progesterone / metabolism
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Receptors, Progesterone
  • progesterone receptor B
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2