ZNF217 Breast Cancer Oncogene Amplified at 20q13: A Potential Marker for Invasiveness.

摘要

ZNF217 is found amplified at the 20q13.2 locus in20% of breast tumors. We will explore ZNF217 over-expression as a surrogate marker for 20q13 amplification and a potential biomarker for prediction of invasive potential and metastatic disease. To examine overlap for ZNF217 amplification at 20q13 and ZNF217 overexpression, paraffin-embedded breast tissue samples have been requested and will be screened using aCGH to identify 100 samples that are 20q13-amplified. The ZNF217 copy number will be determined and ZNF217 protein levels measured in the 20q13-amplified tissues within the next 6 months. ZNF217 positivity will be correlated with poor patient prognosis including progression to IDC or development of distant metastases as well as disease-free and overall survival in our final report. To examine whether ZNF217 over-expression interferes with the maturation of mammary acini in 3D culture, we have extensively characterized the ZNF217-MCF10A stable cell line and describe the morphological findings in detail below. We anticipate characterization of 3D cell cultures by immunofluorescence and confocal studies will begin soon upon establishment of the ZNF217-inducible cell lines. Using the preliminary data from the cell cultures studies we have submitted an R01 to further investigate the downstream ZNF217 effector genes and cell signaling pathways driving the ZNF217-induced morphology.