The potential for liquid biopsies in the precision medical treatment of breast cancer.

Currently the clinical management of breast cancer relies on relatively few prognostic/predictive clinical markers (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2), based on primary tumor biology. Circulating biomarkers, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may enhance our treatment options by focusing on the very cells that are the direct precursors of distant metastatic disease, and probably inherently different than the primary tumor's biology. To shift the current clinical paradigm, assessing tumor biology in real time by molecularly profiling CTCs or ctDNA may serve to discover therapeutic targets, detect minimal residual disease and predict response to treatment. This review serves to elucidate the detection, characterization, and clinical application of CTCs and ctDNA with the goal of precision treatment of breast cancer

Selenium-Binding Protein 1 in Human Health and Disease

Selenium-binding protein 1 (SBP1) is a highly conserved protein that covalently binds selenium. SBP1 may play important roles in several fundamental physiological functions, including protein degradation, intra-Golgi transport, cell differentiation, cellular motility, redox modulation, and the metabolism of sulfur-containing molecules. SBP1 expression is often reduced in many cancer types compared to the corresponding normal tissues and low levels of SBP1 are frequently associated with poor clinical outcome. In this review, the transcriptional regulation of SBP1, the different physiological roles reported for SBP1, as well as the implications of SBP1 function in cancer and other diseases are presented

Selenium-Binding Protein 1 in Prostate Cancer

In prostate cancer and several other types of cancer, selenium-binding protein 1 (SBP1) levels are reduced compared to benign tissues, therefore indicating a possible tumor suppressor function for this protein. Here we demonstrate evidence that ectopic expression of SBP1 alters the metabolism of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and activating AMPK, a central cellular energy sensor. Additionally, both products of SBP1, H2O2, and H2S, can activate AMPK. SBP1 also inhibits prostate cancer cell migration and growth in semi-solid media. Mutating the SBP1 likely selenium binding site at cys57 does not affect the SBP1-induced AMPK activation, suppression of migration, or growth in semi-solid media. We also identified hepatic nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) as a novel suppressor of SBP1 expression in prostate cancer cells. In summary, the loss of SBP1 may be a key player during the process of metabolic transformation in prostate cancer and may facilitate the shift towards a malignant phenotype

Selenium-Binding Protein 1 in Human Health and Disease

Selenium-binding protein 1 (SBP1) is a highly conserved protein that covalently binds selenium. SBP1 may play important roles in several fundamental physiological functions, including protein degradation, intra-Golgi transport, cell differentiation, cellular motility, redox modulation, and the metabolism of sulfur-containing molecules. SBP1 expression is often reduced in many cancer types compared to the corresponding normal tissues and low levels of SBP1 are frequently associated with poor clinical outcome. In this review, the transcriptional regulation of SBP1, the different physiological roles reported for SBP1, as well as the implications of SBP1 function in cancer and other diseases are presented