Elevated expression of LSD1 (Lysine-specific demethylase 1) during tumour progression from pre-invasive to invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

Nuran Serce; Annette Gnatzy; Susanne Steiner; Henning Lorenzen; Jutta Kirfel; Reinhard Buettner

doi:10.1186/1472-6890-12-13

Elevated expression of LSD1 (Lysine-specific demethylase 1) during tumour progression from pre-invasive to invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

BMC Clin Pathol. 2012 Aug 24:12:13. doi: 10.1186/1472-6890-12-13.

Authors

Nuran Serce^#¹, Annette Gnatzy^#¹, Susanne Steiner¹, Henning Lorenzen², Jutta Kirfel¹, Reinhard Buettner³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Pathology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, Bonn 53127, Germany.
² Institute of Medical Biometrics, Informatics and Epidemiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, Bonn 53127, Germany.
³ Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, Cologne, 50924, Germany.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Lysine-specific demethylase1 (LSD1) is a nuclear protein which belongs to the aminooxidase-enzymes playing an important role in controlling gene expression. It has also been found highly expressed in several human malignancies including breast carcinoma. Our aim was to detect LSD1 expression also in pre-invasive neoplasias of the breast. In the current study we therefore analysed LSD1 protein expression in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in comparison to invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC).

Methods: Using immunohistochemistry we systematically analysed LSD1 expression in low grade DCIS (n = 27), intermediate grade DCIS (n = 30), high grade DCIS (n = 31) and in invasive ductal breast cancer (n = 32). SPSS version 18.0 was used for statistical analysis.

Results: LSD1 was differentially expressed in DCIS and invasive ductal breast cancer. Interestingly, LSD1 was significantly overexpressed in high grade DCIS versus low grade DCIS. Differences in LSD1 expression levels were also statistically significant between low/intermediate DCIS and invasive ductal breast carcinoma.

Conclusions: LSD1 is also expressed in pre-invasive neoplasias of the breast. Additionally, there is a gradual increase of LSD1 expression within tumour progression from pre-invasive DCIS to invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Therefore upregulation of LSD1 may be an early tumour promoting event.