Poster #056
Exploring Gene Expression in Luminal A Breast Cancer via Stem Cell Markers
Mentors: Pranabananda Dutta, PhD; PI: Pranabananda Dutta, PhD
Luminal A, the most common breast cancer subtype, is characterized by estrogen and progesterone receptor expression, which drives tumor growth. It primarily affects postmenopausal women due to hormonal imbalances but responds well to hormone therapies. However, drug resistance remains a major challenge, as adaptable cancer stem cells often lead to relapse as treatments lose effectiveness. This study examines gene expression differences in Luminal A breast cancer based on CD44, a stem cell marker related to tumor progression and therapy resistance. Gene expression data were analyzed using cBioPortal, and protein testing is ongoing via Western blotting. High CD44 expression was linked with consistent expression of genes like PEDS1, GALT, CTNNBL1, ARFGAP1, and CDK5RAP1 were consistently expressed. These findings indicate that CD44-related gene profiles may identify aggressive Luminal A subtypes and reveal stem cell roles in drug resistance, support combining chemotherapy with stem cell therapies to prevent relapse and improve outcomes.