Upregulated EBI3 Correlates with Poor Outcome and Tumor Progression in Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

So far, the understanding of the role of Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3 (EBI3) in breast cancer has been limited. This study uncovers the functional role and clinical significance of EBI3 in breast cancer patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression levels of EBI3, IL-27p28, and IL-12p35 were measured by quantitative real-time reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Correlations of EBI3 expression with IL-27p28 and IL-12p35 expression were analyzed using Pearson's correlation assay. The prognostic performance of EBI3 was assessed via Kaplan-Meier survival assay and Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

EBI3 expression was increased in cancerous tissues compared with the controls (P < 0.05). This overexpression of EBI3 was correlated with lymph node metastasis and clinical stage (both P < 0.05). Besides, elevated expression of EBI3 was usually found in patients with positive lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), and similar results were obtained in advanced clinical-stage breast cancer cases (P < 0.05). Increases in both IL-27p28 and IL-12p35 expression were identified in breast cancer tissues (all P < 0.05), and IL-12p35 expression was found to be associated with EBI3 expression (R = 0.888, P < 0.001). Survival curves revealed that high EBI3 expression was correlated with poor overall survival (log-rank P < 0.05). The Cox analysis indicated that EBI3 was an independent prognostic factor in breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, overexpression of EBI3 was associated with poor prognosis and might be involved in the progression of breast cancer.