Research and Development Department, Biotechnology Research Center, P.O. Box (14), 23 July St., Industrial Zone, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt.
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Breast Cancer. 2018 May;25(3):297-302. doi: 10.1007/s12282-017-0829-1. Epub 2017 Dec 28.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has the lymphotropic feature that is supposed to be the reason of related extrahepatic manifestation. HCV viral oncoproteins may participate in the regulation of some gene expression that has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Our aim is to evaluate the HCV-NS4 circulating levels in breast cancer (BC) and to investigate its relation with BC tumor aggressiveness.
This study was performed among 158 Egyptian women (120 with BC and 38 with benign breast diseases). ELISA was used for detection of anti-HCV antibodies, HCV-NS4, fibronectin, and CA 15-3.
No association between HCV detection in this group of BC patients (27.5% in BC vs. 23.7% in breast benign diseases, P = 0.687). Among HCV-infected patients, the mean HCV-NS4 serum level in BC was significantly higher than benign group (61.7 μg/mL vs. 33.9 μg/mL, P = 0.0005). Fibronectin levels were higher (P = 0.014) in patients infected with HCV than noninfected BC patients. Elevated HCV-NS4 levels were associated with tumor severity features like large size, late stages, high grades, and infiltrated lymph nodes. The elevated levels of HCV-NS4 (> 40 μg/mL) yielded an estimated odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) of 2.5 (0.98-6.36), 1.2 (0.44-3.33), 1.9 (0.53-7.00), and 2.5 (0.87-7.33) for developing large size, late stages, high grades, and infiltrated lymph nodes, respectively. Interestingly, HCV-NS4 levels significantly correlated with other BC tumor marker like CA15-3 (r = 0.535; P = 0.0009) and fibronectin (r = 0.432; P < 0.0001).
HCV-NS4 appears to be associated with BC progression features. Oncologists treating such BC patients should consider HCV screening to enable the early identification and to prevent progression of the disease.
丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）具有嗜淋巴特性，这可能是其与肝外表现相关的原因。HCV 病毒致癌蛋白可能参与一些基因表达的调控，这些基因表达与肿瘤发生有关。我们的目的是评估乳腺癌（BC）患者循环 HCV-NS4 的水平，并研究其与 BC 肿瘤侵袭性的关系。
本研究在 158 名埃及妇女中进行（120 名 BC 患者和 38 名良性乳腺疾病患者）。使用 ELISA 检测抗 HCV 抗体、HCV-NS4、纤维连接蛋白和 CA15-3。
在这组 BC 患者中，HCV 的检出率无相关性（BC 组为 27.5%，良性乳腺疾病组为 23.7%，P=0.687）。在 HCV 感染患者中，BC 组的 HCV-NS4 血清水平明显高于良性组（61.7μg/ml 比 33.9μg/ml，P=0.0005）。纤维连接蛋白水平在感染 HCV 的患者中较高（P=0.014）。HCV-NS4 水平升高与肿瘤严重程度特征相关，如肿瘤较大、晚期、高分级和淋巴结浸润。HCV-NS4 水平升高（>40μg/ml）估计比值比（95%置信区间）分别为 2.5（0.98-6.36）、1.2（0.44-3.33）、1.9（0.53-7.00）和 2.5（0.87-7.33），分别用于发展大肿瘤、晚期、高分级和淋巴结浸润。有趣的是，HCV-NS4 水平与其他 BC 肿瘤标志物如 CA15-3（r=0.535；P=0.0009）和纤维连接蛋白（r=0.432；P<0.0001）显著相关。
HCV-NS4 似乎与 BC 进展特征相关。治疗此类 BC 患者的肿瘤学家应考虑 HCV 筛查，以便早期识别和预防疾病进展。
