The importance of hCG in human endometrial adenocarcinoma and breast cancer

Abstract

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a peptide hormone which plays an important role during pregnancy. But its impact is not limited to pregnancy; it also influences tumor formation and metastatic outgrowth, especially in endometrial adenocarcinoma and breast cancer. This review summarizes what has been written in the literature about the role of hCG as a tumor marker in these 2 gynecological malignancies and also about the signal transduction pathways in which hCG is involved. HCG can, on the one hand, be a marker for the progression of a malignant disease, and on the other hand, it may be a point for therapeutical intervention, so further research into this molecule would be very much worthwhile.

Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation in Proteomic Analysis of Potential Biomarkers in Invasive Cancer, Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, and Mammary Fibroadenoma

“…We also detected the higher expression of HCG in IBC. HCG can be used as a tumor marker as the protein is involved in regulation of tumorigenesis (35). Meanwhile, it has FIGURE 5 | Schematic overview of the strategies used for isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) analyses.…”

“…Using iTRAQ approach, we identified potential protein biomarkers that might be used as diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets in breast tumors. been shown to play an important role in treatment of breast cancer (35). The anti-or pro-tumorigenesis effects of HCG in breast cancer deserve to be further explored.…”

“…A total of 140 individuals were included in this study, comprising 35 healthy women, 35 IBC,35 DCIS,and 35 Abbreviations: IBC, invasive breast cancer; DCIS, breast ductal carcinomas in situ; iTRAQ, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation; WGS, whole genome sequencing; A1BG, alpha-1B-glycoprotein; A2M, alpha-2-macroglobulin; ALDH1A1, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1; APCS, antigenpresenting cells; APOA, apolipoprotein A; APOA1, apolipoprotein A1; ARF5, ADP ribosylation factor 5; AMBP, alpha-1-microglobulin/bikunin precursor; ANK1, ankyrin 1; ANXA6, annexin A6; APOA2, apolipoprotein A2; APOD, apolipoprotein D; APOL1, apolipoprotein L1; AZGP1, alpha-2-glycoprotein 1, zinc-binding; CALD1, caldesmon 1; CCT4, chaperonin containing TCP1 subunit 4; CLU, clusterin; COL12A1, collagen type XII alpha 1 chain; COL18A1, collagen type XVIII alpha 1 chain; DHX9, DExH-box helicase 9; DSP, desmoplakin; ECM1, extracellular matrix protein 1; EHD2, EH domain containing 2; F2, coagulation factor II, thrombin; FBN1, fibrillin 1; FLNA, filamin A; FGA, fibrinogen alpha chain; FGB, fibrinogen beta chain; FHL1, four and a half LIM domains 1; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GC, GC vitamin D binding protein; GDI2, GDP dissociation inhibitor 2; GGT5, gamma-glutamyltransferase 5; GLA, galactosidase alpha; CSRP1, cysteine and glycine rich protein 1; HBA2, hemoglobin subunit alpha 2; hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin; HP, haptoglobin; HRG, histidine rich glycoprotein; HSPA4, heat shock protein family A member 4; HSPA9, heat shock protein family A member 9; IARS2, isoleucyl-TRNA synthetase 2; IL16, interleukin 16; ITGB1, integrin subunit beta 1; ITGB4, integrin subunit beta 4; ITIH2, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 2; HBG1, hemoglobin subunit gamma 1; KNG1, kininogen 1; KRT, keratin; LUM, lumican; MAOB, monoamine oxidase B; ME2, malic enzyme 2; MMP11, matrix metalloproteinase 11; NAMPT, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase; NONO, non-POU domain containing octamer binding; NNT, nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase; NUDT19, nudix hydrolase 19; RRBP1, ribosome binding protein 1; RPS3, ribosomal protein S3; PEBP1, phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein 1; PGK1, phosphoglycerate kinase 1; PIP, prolactin induced protein; PLEC, plectin; PLIN1, perilipin1; PRDX2, peroxiredoxin 2; PRKDC, protein kinase, DNA-activated, catalytic subunit; PTN, pleiotrophin; SCPEP1, serine carboxypeptidase 1; SERPINA4, serpina family A member 4; SERPINH1, serpina family H member 1; SFRP1, secreted frizzled related protein 1; SPTBN1, spectrin beta, non-erythrocytic 1; STAM, signal transducing adaptor molecule; TGFBI, transforming growth factor beta induced; TUFM, Tu translation elongation factor, mitochondrial; UGDH, UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase; WFS1, wolframin ER transmembrane glycoprotein; VCP, valosin containing protein.…”

Case report of persistent elevation of βhCG in a nonpregnant woman: A diagnostic puzzle

“…Reports are indicating that nontrophoblastic neoplasms, such as germ cell tumors of the ovaries, endometrial, colorectal, lung, gastric, and breast cancer, among many, could cause elevated βhCG serum levels, due to overproduction and increased secretion of this hormone by mentioned neoplasms 8–11 . Since the histopathologic findings ruled out the presence of tumorous tissue in ovary biopsy samples, laparoscopic exploration of the pelvic and abdominal cavity found no macroscopic changes indicative of the neoplasm presence, along with the absence of radiographic signs of breast and lung tumor, the possibility of the paraneoplastic syndrome as the cause of elevated βhCG was ruled out.…”

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)—An Endocrine, Regulator of Gestation and Cancer

“…The expression of hCG is observed in several types of malignancies, including prostate cancer [ 24 ], colorectal cancer [ 25 ], lung adenocarcinoma [ 26 ], and different gynecological cancers, such as endometrial adenocarcinoma, breast cancer [ 27 ], cervical carcinoma [ 28 ], and ovarian cancer [ 29 ], and is associated with especially poorly differentiated and high-grade tumors [ 30 ]. Human chorionic gonadotrophin may be also a possible mediator of leiomyoma growth during pregnancy [ 31 ].…”