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Published on: October 27, 2020
Alteration of GLIS3 gene expression pattern in patients with breast cancer
Farzaneh Rami1, Azar Baradaran2, Mahboobeh Mojaver Kahnamooi1
1Department of Biology, Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Background:
The GLIS family members are zinc fingers with transcriptional repression and activation function. GLIS3 is one of these family members, which aberrant expression of it revealed to be related to several different cancer types. Regarding to the role of GLIS3 in tumor genesis and its probable connection with β-catenin signaling pathway, one of the pathways that involves in both normal development and tumor genesis of breast tissue, the aim of this study is investigating the alteration of GLIS3 mRNA expression level in breast cancer.
Materials And Methods:
Real-time polymerase chain reaction performed with GLIS3 and GAPDH genes primer on the RNA which extracted from 15 fresh frozen breast tumor tissue samples and also 15 normal samples with slight distance from site of tumor.
Results:
The relative expression of GLIS3 in breast cancer tissues revealed a 4 times increase comparing normal breast tissues; with a significant difference between cancer and normal samples (P = 0.027) and in patients without lymph node involvement and tissues that had estrogen receptor (ER(-)) and progesterone receptor (PR(-)) statuses. We see no significant difference between cancer and normal tissues based on lobular or ductal origin of the tumor as well as the tumor grade.
Conclusions:
Our study suggested a probable relationship between GLIS3 overexpression and breast cancer. Furthermore, detection of a probable association between GLIS3 overexpression and triple-negative breast cancer (ER(-)/PR(-)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(-)) might be useful for prognostic and diagnostic uses or as a probable target for treatment of these patients.
Insights
GLIS3 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression is significantly upregulated in breast cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. This overexpression may be linked to triple-negative breast cancer, suggesting potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Oncology
- Gene expression analysis
Background:
- GLIS3, a member of the zinc finger family, plays a role in transcriptional regulation.
- Aberrant GLIS3 expression is implicated in various cancer types.
- GLIS3's potential involvement in the beta-catenin signaling pathway, crucial for breast tissue development and tumorigenesis, warrants investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in GLIS3 mRNA expression levels in breast cancer.
- To explore the relationship between GLIS3 expression and breast cancer development.
Main Methods:
- RNA was extracted from 15 fresh frozen breast tumor and 15 adjacent normal tissue samples.
- Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to quantify GLIS3 and GAPDH gene expression.
Main Results:
- GLIS3 mRNA expression was approximately 4-fold higher in breast cancer tissues than in normal tissues (P = 0.027).
- Increased GLIS3 expression was observed in patients without lymph node involvement and with estrogen receptor (ER(-)) and progesterone receptor (PR(-)) negative statuses.
- No significant differences in GLIS3 expression were found based on tumor origin (lobular/ductal) or tumor grade.
Conclusions:
- GLIS3 overexpression is suggested to be associated with breast cancer.
- The potential link between GLIS3 overexpression and triple-negative breast cancer (ER(-)/PR(-)/HER2(-)) may offer prognostic, diagnostic, or therapeutic avenues.

