H3K4 Acetylation, H3K9 Acetylation and H3K27 Methylation in Breast Tumor Molecular Subtypes

Abstract

Aim: Here, we investigated how the St Gallen breast molecular subtypes displayed distinct histone H3 profiles. Patients & methods: 192 breast tumors divided into five St Gallen molecular subtypes (luminal A, luminal B HER2-, luminal B HER2+, HER2+ and basal-like) were evaluated for their histone H3 modifications on gene promoters. Results: ANOVA analysis allowed to identify specific H3 signatures according to three groups of genes: hormonal receptor genes (ERS1, ERS2, PGR), genes modifying histones (EZH2, P300, SRC3) and tumor suppressor gene (BRCA1). A similar profile inside high-risk cancers (luminal B [HER2+], HER2+ and basal-like) compared with low-risk cancers including luminal A and luminal B (HER2-) were demonstrated. Conclusion: The H3 modifications might contribute to clarify the differences between breast cancer subtypes.

Keywords::

• breast cancer
• H3 modifications
• St Gallen molecular subtypes

Acknowledgements

The authors thank N Gomez for corrections to the English language in the manuscript. The authors also thank ‘la ligue contre le cancer-Comité du Puy-de-Dôme’.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

A Dagdemir was funded by Protema Saglik Hizm, Anonymous Society (Istanbul, Turkey) and S Karsli-Ceppioglu were supported by The Scientific and Technology Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK-2219) project grants. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No funded writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

A Dagdemir was funded by Protema Saglik Hizm, Anonymous Society (Istanbul, Turkey) and S Karsli-Ceppioglu were supported by The Scientific and Technology Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK-2219) project grants. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No funded writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.