The nucleolar-related protein Dyskerin pseudouridine synthase 1 (DKC1) predicts poor prognosis in breast cancer
Menée à partir d'images histologiques numériques du projet "The Cancer Genome Atlas", de données d'ARNs messagers du "Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium" et de l'analyse immunohistochimique d'échantillons tumoraux issus de 943 patients, cette étude met en évidence une association entre l'expression nucléolaire de la dyskérine DKC1 et un pronostic défavorable chez les patientes atteintes d'un cancer du sein
Background : Hypertrophy of the nucleolus is a distinctive cytological feature of malignant cells and corresponds to aggressive behaviour. This study aimed to identify the key gene associated with nucleolar prominence (NP) in breast cancer (BC) and determine its prognostic significance.
Methods : From The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, digital whole slide images identified cancers having NP served as label and an information theory algorithm was applied to find which mRNA gene best explained NP. Dyskerin Pseudouridine Synthase 1 (DKC1) was identified. DKC1 expression was assessed using mRNA data of Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC, n = 1980) and TCGA (n = 855). DKC1 protein expression was assessed using immunohistochemistry in Nottingham BC cohort (n = 943).
Results : Nuclear and nucleolar expressions of DKC1 protein were significantly associated with higher tumour grade (p < 0.0001), high nucleolar score (p < 0.001) and poor Nottingham Prognostic Index (p < 0.0001). High DKC1 expression was associated with shorter BC-specific survival (BCSS). In multivariate analysis, DKC1 mRNA and protein expressions were independent risk factors for BCSS (p < 0.01).
Conclusion : DKC1 expression is strongly correlated with NP and its overexpression in BC is associated with unfavourable clinicopathological characteristics and poor outcome. This has been a detailed example in the correlation of phenotype with genotype.
British Journal of Cancer , résumé, 2020