Study Of The Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus-like Gene Sequences In Breast Cancer Tissue Of Chinese Women And Its Relativity Between CerbB-2, P53, ER Or PR

Objectives: There was a considerable evidence that the presence of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-like gene sequences in human breast cancer was highly associated with human breast carcinoma. Previous studies have found the presence of a 660-bp sequence that is 90%~98% homologous to the env gene of MMTV in 38% of breast cancer tissue from United States women, in 42.2% from Australian women, and in 0.8% from Vietnamese women. It' s reported that MMTV-like gene sequences are rarely found in normal tissues including breast, lymphocytes from breast cancer patients from all populations. The prevalence of these sequences in breast cancer tissue from Chinese women with breast cancer has never been reported.Methods: Using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that amplify MMTV-like gene sequences, we tested breast cancer tissue from 83 Chinese women. The result was analyzed and compared with histopathological data and prevalence had been reported from different populations. Results: MMTV-like gene sequences were amplified in 12 of 83 (14. 5%) breast cancer biopsy tissues from Chinese women, which had no association with histopathological data, but had significantly difference between different populations.Conclusion: MMTV-like gene sequences can be found in breast cancer tissue from Chinese women with breast cancer. This supports the contention that these sequences represent a virus associated with human breast carcinogenesis. The differences in prevalence of MMTV-like gene sequences and breast cancer rates between populations provided increased evidence for a human breast carcinoma virus with geographic differences in prevalence. The geographic differences were compatible with studies of MMTV in wild mice. Human mammary tumor virus may works as initiator and/or as promoter of malignant growth, but not an agent of prognosis. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between the prevalence of mouse mammary tumor virus-like gene sequences and the expressions of C-erbB-2, P53, ER (estrogen receptor), PR (progesterone receptor) in breast cancer.Methods: Using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) that amplify MMTV-like gene sequences, we tested breast cancer tissue from 83 Chinese women. The mastectomy specimens of the breast cancer were stained with immunohistochemistry, and the expressions of C-erbB-2, P53, ER and PR were measured.Results: MMTV-like gene sequences were amplified in 12 of 83 (14. 5%) breast cancer biopsy tissues from Chinese women, which had no association with overexpression of C-erbB-2, expression of ER or PR. There was statistically significant difference in p53 mutation between MMTV-like positive and negative breast cancer specimens.Conclusion: Correlation between MMTV-like sequence and p53 mutation in the human breast cancer tissue suggests a synergetic or interactive effect of them in the carcinogenesis of breast cancer. C-erbB-2,ER and PR may not involved in this mechanism.