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Updated: Nov 14, 2025
Deacetylation Assays to Unravel the Interplay between Sirtuins SIRT2 and Specific Protein-substrates
Published on: February 27, 2016
The study of sirtuins in breast cancer patients before and after radiotherapy
Nazlı Helvacı1, Hatice Saraçoğlu2, Oğuz Galip Yıldız3
1Health Sciences Institute, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
Background/Aim:
Targeting the new and unique proteins is an important medical strategy for treating breast cancer. It is quite important to find out proteins that have a role in the development of cancer. Sirtuins (SIRT) are well related in different physiological activities and connected with cancer. We aimed to determine the effect of radiotherapy on SIRT1 and SIRT2, which have not been yet been clarified as a tumor suppressor or promoter.
Materials And Methods:
Twenty-two women with nonmetastatic breast cancer enrolled in the study. Blood samples were taken before and after radiotherapy, soluble SIRT1 and SIRT2 levels were determined with ELISA kits.
Results:
There was no difference in SIRT1 levels before and after radiotherapy (p = 0.548). SIRT2 levels were significantly found to be decreased after radiotherapy (p = 0.042). There was a strong and positive correlation before radiotherapy (p < 0.001), and a moderate and positive correlation after radiotherapy (p = 0.007) between SIRT1 and SIRT2.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that SIRT2 may provide a new strategy for follow-up of breast cancer treatment. Additionally, by emphasizing the importance of SIRT2 in breast cancer, it opens ways to provide grounds for the development of the next generation of SIRT2-specific radiotracers. Finally, the most important thing, in fact, the positive correlation between SIRT1 and SIRT2 both before and after radiotherapy, appears to be clear evidence suggesting more oncogenic roles of sirtuins.
Insights
Radiotherapy decreased sirtuin-2 (SIRT2) levels in breast cancer patients, suggesting its potential as a treatment marker. The positive correlation between sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and SIRT2 indicates their oncogenic roles in breast cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Targeting unique proteins is crucial for breast cancer treatment.
- Sirtuins (SIRT) are implicated in various physiological activities and cancer development.
- The roles of SIRT1 and SIRT2 as tumor suppressors or promoters in breast cancer remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of radiotherapy on SIRT1 and SIRT2 levels in breast cancer patients.
- To explore the potential of SIRT1 and SIRT2 as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
Main Methods:
- The study included twenty-two women with nonmetastatic breast cancer.
- Blood samples were collected before and after radiotherapy.
- Soluble SIRT1 and SIRT2 levels were quantified using ELISA kits.
Main Results:
- SIRT1 levels showed no significant change after radiotherapy (p = 0.548).
- SIRT2 levels significantly decreased post-radiotherapy (p = 0.042).
- A strong positive correlation between SIRT1 and SIRT2 was observed before (p < 0.001) and after radiotherapy (p = 0.007).
Conclusions:
- SIRT2 may serve as a novel strategy for monitoring breast cancer treatment.
- The findings highlight SIRT2's importance in breast cancer, potentially enabling the development of new radiotracers.
- The positive correlation between SIRT1 and SIRT2 suggests their oncogenic roles in breast cancer.
