Expression of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mRNA in Ovarian Cancer Patients Attending a Tertiary Level Cancer Hospital in Bangladesh

Author(s): Latifa Nishat, Sufi Hannan Zulfiqar Rahman, Farida Arjuman, Mahenaz Afroz, Rahinur Ara Rimon, Nargis Sultana, Sadika Sharmin, Shafayat Mohammad Imteaz.

BRCA genes play a role in the pathogenesis and effectiveness of ovarian cancer treatments. Variations in the expression of these genes have been observed in ovarian cancer in different populations. The expression of BRCA genes in Bangladeshi patients with ovarian cancer remains unexplored. Data on BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene expression are important for advancing personalized medicine, improving the early detection of ovarian cancer in this population, and enhancing the global understanding of the molecular behavior of ovarian cancer. This study aimed to analyze BRCA1 and BRCA2 mRNA expression in cancerous and non-cancerous ovarian tissues from Bangladeshi women. Total RNA was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) ovarian cancer tissue of 44 patients with ovarian cancer and non-cancerous tissue from 29 oophorectomized patients. Two-step real-time RT-PCR of mRNA was performed to amplify BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and to calculate mRNA expression using the 2^-ΔΔCt method. Ovarian cancer tissues displayed significantly higher expression of both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mRNA than in the non-cancerous ovarian tissues (median of BRCA1 3.24 versus 0.77, p < 0.001 and median of BRCA2 2.90 versus 0.39, p = 0.001). BRCA2 mRNA expression was significantly higher (p = 0.015) in stage I ovarian cancer. A positive correlation was observed between BRCA1 and BRCA2 expression (Spearman’s rho = 0.428, p = 0.004). The elevated and positively correlated BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene expression suggests a coordinated regulatory mechanism in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer. Higher BRCA2 expression in early stage ovarian cancer highlights its potential as a biomarker for early detection.