Evaluation of the Ultrastructure and Expression of Desmoglein 2 in Breast Cancer: A Novel Biomarker

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among Iranian women. In recent years, the study of dysfunction in the expression of cell-cell junction genes and the related proteins in the malignant process has been at the center of attention. Methods: In this study, 50 patients were selected who had both cancerous tissue and adjacent healthy tissue. The expression of the desmoglein 2 gene was evaluated. Healthy and cancerous tissue were compared using routine hematoxylin and eosin staining. The total protein was also compared between these two groups. The ultrastructural examination was performed. Results: The real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed a decrease in the expression of the desmoglein 2 gene in all tumor samples compared to the healthy samples (p-value <0.0001). Besides, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was equal to 0.98. Transmission electron microscopy microscopic studies revealed a change in the status of desmosomal junctions. These findings were consistent with the qualitative decrease in the protein expression between the two target groups. Conclusion: Overall, the findings showed that the association between desmoglein 2 gene expression and alterations in cellular connections leads to impaired cellular connections, which is an important risk factor for breast cancer. This result proposed the understudy gene as a new biomarker in the development of breast cancer.