Expression Analysis of TREM2 and TC2N Genes in Human Breast Cancer Tissues

Background: Since breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women around the world, finding new biomarkers for early diagnosis of breast cancer is invaluable. Objectives: This research assessed the mRNA expression of triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cell 2 (TREM2) and tandem C2 domains nuclear protein (TC2N) genes among Iranian patients with breast cancer. Methods: We acquired 50 samples of cancerous breast tumors and corresponding adjacent non-cancerous tissues from Iranian women. The gene expression of TREM2 and TC2N was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-RT-PCR). In addition, the association between TREM2 and TC2N levels with various clinicopathologic characteristics was also investigated. Results: The increased levels of TREM2 and TC2N mRNAs were shown in breast cancerous tissues in comparison with adjacent non-cancerous tissues (P < 0.05). Among the clinicopathological characteristics evaluated, tumor size, necrosis, and lymphatic tissue invasion were significantly associated with high TREM2 expression. A significant relationship was also seen between increased TC2N expression and tumor grade. Sensitivity and specificity were shown at 84% and 94%, respectively, for TREM2 and 72% and 100% for TC2N. Conclusions: The data suggest that TREM2 expression, but not TC2N, could be a suitable biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis.