Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2025

Optimization of a Multiplex RNA-based Expression Assay Using Breast Cancer Archival Material
Published on: August 1, 2018
Expression of CDK7 correlates with molecular subtypes and predicts clinical outcomes in breast cancer
Lin Tang1, Chengjun Zhu2, Juan Jin1
1Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Background:
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) belongs to CDK family, which is involved in transcriptional activity and cell cycle progression. Recent studies have suggested that CDK7 inhibitor is effective in the treatment of breast cancer, whereas, the efficacy of antitumor response varies significantly in different subtypes of breast cancer. However, the underlying connection between CDK7 and molecular subtypes of breast cancer is currently unknown.
Methods:
To further elucidate the role of CDK7 in breast cancer, we investigated the association of CDK7 expression with different molecular subtypes and clinical outcomes in breast cancer using the Oncomine, GENT2, UALCAN and PrognoScan database. The correlation between CDK7 mRNA expression and promoter methylation was established using MEXPRESS datasets. And the CDK7 expression with different stages and subtypes was also examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay in 140 breast cancer patients.
Results:
We found that the expression of CDK7 was increased in breast cancer. Besides, our data demonstrated that both CDK7 hypomethylation status and copy number variations (CNVs) were highly correlated with mRNA overexpression. Moreover, based on the tissue array of 140 patients and more than 4,000 samples from bc-GenExMiner database, CDK7 protein levels were significantly higher in luminal and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer in comparison with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype. The expression of CDK7 was prominently correlated with molecular markers of different subtypes of breast cancer. Furthermore, the results of the univariate analysis indicated that high CDK7 expression was dramatically associated with poor overall survival (OS) (P=0.0323, HR =2.08).
Conclusions:
Our results highlighted that elevated CDK7 expression was correlated with molecular subtypes and acted as a candidate biomarker of poor prognosis in breast cancer.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
Positive Regulator Molecules
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...

