Explore the vast range of titles available.

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters contribute to development of resistance to anticancer drugs via ATP-dependent drug efflux. A major goal of our study was to investigate associations between the expression of ABC transporters and outcome of breast carcinoma patients. Transcript levels of all 49 human ABC transporters were determined in post-treatment tumor and non-neoplastic tissue samples from 68 breast carcinoma patients treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Six ABC transporters were then evaluated in independent series of 100 pretreatment patients. / / / / , / / , / , / , and were significantly downregulated and / / / , / / / / , / / / / / , / , , / / and were upregulated in post-treatment tumors compared with non-neoplastic tissues. Significant associations of intratumoral levels of and with grade and expression of hormonal receptors were found in both sets of patients. , and levels were significantly associated with the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in post-treatment patients. Protein expression of ABCA12, ABCC8 and ABCD2 in tumor tissues of patients with breast carcinoma was observed by immunoblotting for the first time. , , , and present potential modifiers of progression and response to the chemotherapy of breast carcinoma. Original submitted 27 July 2012; Revision submitted 5 February 2013

A role of caspase-2 in chemotherapy-induced apoptosis has been suggested. Our study aimed to evaluate the prognostic and predictive importance of caspase-2 isoforms in breast cancer patients. Caspase-2L and -2S transcript levels were determined in paired tumor and non-malignant control tissues from 64 patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 100 pretreatment patients (general set) by real-time PCR with absolute quantification. Low but statistically significant upregulation of caspase-2L in tumor versus control tissues was observed in both sets. Significant associations of the levels of caspase-2L, -2S or S/L ratio with clinical prognostic factors were observed. However, none of these associations were confirmed in both sets. Levels of caspase-2 isoforms or the S/L ratio did not significantly associate with progression-free survival in the general set or with chemotherapy response in the neoadjuvant set. Our results suggest that the role of caspase-2 isoforms in the progression of breast cancer may considerably differ between pre- and post-chemotherapy patients.