Frequent loss of the BLID gene in early-onset breast cancer

Cytogenet Genome Res. 2011;135(1):19-24. doi: 10.1159/000330265. Epub 2011 Aug 12.

Abstract

The BH3-like motif-containing inducer of cell death (BLID) is an intronless gene localized on 11q24.1. Loss of that region has frequently been reported in early-onset breast cancer and is significantly associated with poor prognosis and reduced survival. Downregulation of BLID is associated with younger age, triple-negative phenotype, and reduced disease-free and overall survival of breast cancer patients. In this study, we investigated allelic loss of BLID in breast tumor specimens from 78 women with invasive breast cancer using 2 dinucleotide polymorphic markers closely linked to the BLID gene (no intragenic marker for BLID is available). Seventy-three cases were informative. Overall, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the BLID locus was detected in 32% of the informative cases (23/73). However, in patients 40 years old and younger, LOH was detected in 50% of the cases (9/18). Patients aged 40 years and younger were significantly more likely to experience LOH than those aged 41-55 years (p = 0.04). Specifically, the odds of BLID loss for patients aged 40 years and younger were 3.7 times the odds of loss for patients aged 41-55 years (95% CI, 1.1-13). Our findings suggest a tumor suppressor role of the BLID gene in early-onset breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Age of Onset
  • Aged
  • Alleles
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins* / deficiency
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins* / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Breast Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms* / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Chromosome Mapping / methods*
  • Cytogenetics / methods*
  • DNA Primers / chemistry
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • DNA Probes / chemistry
  • DNA Probes / genetics
  • DNA, Neoplasm / analysis*
  • DNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Loss of Heterozygosity
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Odds Ratio
  • Prognosis
  • Software
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • BLID protein, human
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA Probes
  • DNA, Neoplasm