Correlational Analysis of Genetic Mutations and Galectin Levels in Breast Cancer Patients

Background:

Galectins are immune system regulators, associated with disease progression in cancer. This research aims to investigate the correlation between mutated cancer-critical genes and galectin levels in breast cancer patients to determine whether galectins and genetic profiles can be used as biomarkers for disease and potential therapy targets.

Materials and Methodology:

Prisma Health Cancer Institute’s Biorepository provided sixty-five breast cancer patient samples, including all four stages as well as major molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Hotspot mutation statuses of cancer-critical genes were determined using multiplex PCR in tumor samples from the same patients.

The galectin levels of patients’ sera were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the concentrations of galectins-1, -3, and -9. Two-sample t-tests (α=0.05) were performed using JMP software.

Results:

Our analysis indicates that KIT mutations correlate with elevated levels of galectin-1 and -9, while TP53 mutations correlate with elevated galectin-3 levels. In patients with the Luminal A subtype, FLT3 mutation is correlated with lower galectin-1 and -9 levels, TP53 mutations correlate to higher galectin-3 levels, and MET mutations correlate to higher galectin-9 levels. Patients with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma had significantly higher levels of galectin-3 than patients with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ.

Patients with both TP53 and KIT mutations exhibit elevated galectin-3 levels, while patients with one or neither mutation show no significant differences in galectin-3 levels. Similar trends were observed for patients with both TP53 and PIK3CA mutations compared to those with one or neither mutation.

In addition, metastatic breast cancer samples were more likely to have KIT or PIK3CA mutation compared to primary breast cancer samples.

Conclusion:

The relationship between genetic mutations and galectin levels will potentially identify appropriate candidates for combined therapy which targets genetic mutations and galectins, aiding the search for biomarkers used for breast cancer diagnosis, disease progression, and prognosis.