Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Intron 1 CA repeat Polymorphism in Sudanese Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor is one of the erbB family of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs). A highly polymorphic microsatellite in intron 1 of the gene was found to affect the expression of the gene. Individuals with shorter repeats were found to have higher expression levels of the protein, and therefore benefit more from anti-EGFR drugs. In the present study 11 breast cancer patients and 12 healthy volunteers from the Sudanese population were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two alleles were found: a short allele with a frequency of 0.591 in breast cancer patients and 0.083 in healthy volunteers, and along allele with a frequency of 0.409 in breast cancer patients and 0.917 in healthy volunteers. It can be concluded that the length of this CA-SSR may have a major role in carcinogenisis in Sudanese breast cancer patients.