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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
Optimization of a Multiplex RNA-based Expression Assay Using Breast Cancer Archival Material
Published on: August 1, 2018
Acid ceramidase 1 expression correlates with a better prognosis in ER-positive breast cancer
E Ruckhäberle1, U Holtrich, K Engels
1Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, J.W.Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany.
Objectives:
Ceramide and sphingosine mediate response to cancer therapy, inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis in vitro. Only a few clinical data about the impact of ceramide and sphingosine iny vivo are available. We investigated the relevance of ceramide- and sphingosine-generating enzymes in breast cancer (acid ceramidase 1 (ASAH1), ceramide synthases 4 (LASS4) and 6 (LASS6)) by means of gene expression analysis.
Methods:
We analyzed differences in ASAH1, LASS4 and LASS6 on mRNA level between breast cancer subgroups using microarray data from 1581 tumor samples.
Results:
High ASAH1, LASS4 and LASS6 expression correlates with pathohistological grading (p < 0.001) and estrogen receptor (ER) status (p < 0.001). High ASAH1 expression was associated with a larger tumor size >2 cm (p = 0.003), while high LASS6 expression was correlated with ErbB2 negativity (p < 0.001). In survival analysis, we detected a significant better prognosis of patients with higher ASAH1 expression (p = 0.002) in the ER-positive subgroup. In contrast, expression of LASS4 or LASS6 did not show any prognostic impact. In the multivariate analysis, only ASAH1 expression (p = 0.002), tumor size (p < 0.0001) and ErbB2 positivity (p = 0.041) remained significant.
Conclusion:
ASAH1 is an estrogen-dependent member of the sphingolipid metabolism, which might provide further prognostic information in ER-positive breast cancers.
