Profile of anterior gradient 3 (AGR3) mRNA expression and serum levels in benign and malignant breast tumors.

BACKGROUND Benign and malignant breast tumors are the most commonly diagnosed tumor in females. Early and accurate diagnosis of malignancy is essential for effective breast cancer treatment. Human anterior gradient 3 (AGR3) has been suggested as a potential biomarker for the early detection and prognostic determination of breast cancer. OBJECTIVE This study profiles AGR3 mRNA expression and serum protein levels in patients with benign and malignant breast tumors. METHODS A case-control study was conducted on 40 benign and 40 malignant breast tumor patients in Makassar, Indonesia. AGR3 mRNA and protein were detected using qRT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS This study found significantly higher AGR3 mRNA expression in benign than malignant breast tumors using qRT-PCR (p < 0.001). In contrast, ELISA revealed no significant difference between AGR3 serum protein levels in benign and malignant breast tumors (p = 0.507). CONCLUSIONS AGR3 is associated with non-aggressive tumors and could be used as a marker for less aggressive breast tumors.