RELATION BETWEEN CYTIDINE DEAMINASE ACTIVITY AND BREAST CANCER

Abstract

Cytidine Deaminase (CDA) is an important gene which encodes an enzyme that regulates the pyrimidine salvage pathway. It catalyzes the hydrolytic deamination of cytidine to products such as uridine and ammonia. The expression and activity of CDA is influenced by different treatments given to breast cancer patients. Aim of this study is to evaluate the expression analysis of CDA along with its protein activity on the basis of substrate utility. RNA was extracted from the blood samples of 35 cancer patients which comprised of 26 breast cancer patients and 9 samples from other cancer patients. 10 healthy controls were taken for comparison. Integrity of extracted RNA was validated through cDNA synthesis which was then utilized in qRT PCR to check the expression levels of CDA. Enzymatic activity was analyzed by testing ammonia levels released during enzymatic reaction of CDA. Our study reveals that CDA expression and activity increases in breast cancer patients as compared to other cancer patients and the control group. CDA expression was found to be elevated in radiotherapy patients and CDA activity was increased in patients receiving hormone therapy. These molecular insights into gene expression and enzymatic activity of CDA can provide clinical guidance in future for tailoring effective treatment strategies. Our findings suggests that the increased expression and activity levels of CDA can worsen the effects of breast cancer so therapeutic approach can be adopted in this regard for the silencing of CDA gene expression and lowering its enzymatic activity in breast cancer patients by introducing specific novel drugs.