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Author Spotlight: Exploring Salidroside's Molecular Mechanisms in Breast Cancer Treatment
Published on: June 9, 2023
Decreased sirtuin 4 expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with invasive breast cancer
Qingyu Shi1, Tong Liu1, Xianyu Zhang1
1Department of Breast Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150040, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Aberrant metabolism is a hallmark of human cancer. Glutamine metabolism has been identified as a central metabolic pathway in cancer and thus, targeting glutamine metabolism may exhibit therapeutic potential. Sirtuin 4 (SIRT4) is an important molecule that mediates the blockade of glutamine catabolism by inhibiting glutamate dehydrogenase. In the present study, SIRT4 protein expression levels were analyzed in 409 breast cancer tissues and 241 paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues by immunohistochemical analysis and the correlation between SIRT4 expression and the clinicopathological features was evaluated. SIRT4 protein was markedly increased in the breast cancer cells compared with adjacent non-tumor mammary cells and was correlated with estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, nuclear-associated antigen Ki-67 and tumor protein p53 status, as well as breast cancer subtypes. Furthermore, low SIRT4 expression was associated with poor overall survival in breast cancers patients, particularly in Luminal A patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed that increased SIRT4 expression was an independent predictive factor of good prognosis for breast cancer patients. In conclusion, SIRT4 expression represents a significant favorable prognostic factor for patients with invasive breast cancer.
Insights
Sirtuin 4 (SIRT4) protein is elevated in breast cancer and linked to better patient outcomes. Increased SIRT4 expression indicates a favorable prognosis, especially in Luminal A breast cancer subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cancer Metabolism
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Aberrant cellular metabolism is a key characteristic of human cancers.
- Glutamine metabolism is a critical pathway in cancer, making it a potential therapeutic target.
- Sirtuin 4 (SIRT4) regulates glutamine metabolism by inhibiting glutamate dehydrogenase, thus blocking glutamine catabolism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate SIRT4 protein expression levels in breast cancer tissues.
- To evaluate the correlation between SIRT4 expression and clinicopathological features of breast cancer.
- To determine the prognostic significance of SIRT4 in breast cancer patients.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of SIRT4 protein expression.
- Analysis of 409 breast cancer tissues and 241 adjacent non-cancerous tissues.
- Correlation analysis between SIRT4 expression and clinicopathological variables, including receptor status and breast cancer subtypes.
Main Results:
- SIRT4 protein expression was significantly higher in breast cancer tissues compared to non-tumor tissues.
- SIRT4 expression correlated with estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, Ki-67, p53 status, and breast cancer subtypes.
- Low SIRT4 expression was associated with poorer overall survival, particularly in Luminal A breast cancer.
Conclusions:
- SIRT4 protein expression is significantly increased in invasive breast cancer.
- Increased SIRT4 expression is an independent favorable prognostic factor for breast cancer patients.
- SIRT4 may serve as a valuable biomarker for predicting prognosis in breast cancer.
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