Increased NINJ1 expression in hormone receptor-positive breast tumors: implications for prognosis

Abstract

NINJ1 (Ninjurin 1) mediates plasma membrane rupture (PMR) during the lytic phase in response to inducers of various programmed cell death mechanisms, such as pyroptosis, leading to the release of inflammatory molecules like HMGB1 and LDH. NINJ1, however, has not been previously studied in the context of breast cancer. Here, I found that NINJ1 transcript levels are higher in breast tumors than in non-malignant breast tissue. Estrogen receptor (ER)-positive or progesterone receptor (PR)-positive breast tumors exhibited higher NINJ1 expression compared to ER-negative or PR-negative tumors, respectively, independent of menopausal status. By contrast, NINJ1 expression did not vary with HER2 status, another molecular marker defining breast cancer subtypes. The lowest NINJ1 expression was observed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the subtype with the highest recurrence and mortality rates. Tumor stage and patient race also seemed to influence NINJ1 mRNA expression levels. More importantly, breast cancer patients with high NINJ1 expression had a more favorable prognosis than those with low expression across multiple survival parameters. In summary, higher NINJ1 levels in ER-positive and PR-positive breast cancer may contribute to the improved survival rates observed in this patient group. Future work now remains to identify the mechanistic basis of NINJ1-mediated antitumor immunity in breast cancer.

Keywords

Breast cancer / NINJ1 / Estrogen receptor / Progesterone receptor / Plasma membrane rupture / HER2 / Inflammation / Cell death / Hormone receptors / Estrogen

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Shenzhen University School of Medicine; Fondazione Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare