Breast cancer proteomics reveals correlation between estrogen receptor status and differential phosphorylation of PGRMC1

Table 1 Pooling design for ER-positive versus ER-negative cryogenic whole tumor sections

Experimental variable designation	Pools	Tumor number	RNA quality	Tumor status	Lymph node status	Grade	ER status	PR status	Her2/neu status	Age of patient (years)
ER positive		T378	ok	2	0	2	12	4	0	75
	ER+1
		T392	ok	2	0	2	12	2	2^a	61
		T460	ok	2	0	2	4	8	3	79
	ER+2
		T464	ok	2	0	2	12	8	0	50
		T288	ok	2	0	2	12	4	1	76
	ER+3
		T711	ok	4	2	3	8	6	0	65
		T712	ok	2	1	2	9	4	0	58
	ER+4
		T425	ok	2	1	2	12	0	0	78
ER negative		T433	ok	2	0	2	0	0	1	42
	ER-1
		T443	ok	2	1	2	0	12	0	46
		T469	ok	1	0	2–3	0	0	3	50
	ER-2
		T470	ok	2	1	2	0	0	0	39
		T531	ok	2	0	2	0	0	0	58
	ER-3
		T558	ok	2	0	2–3	0	0	0	62
		T623	ok	1	x	2–3	0	0	1	42
	ER-4
		T640	ok	2	0	3	0	0	3	62

Individual tumors are designated by their tumor bank T registration numbers. Experimental, clinical, and histopathological parameters are listed. Eight ER-positive and eight ER-negative tumors are grouped into four pools of two tumors each, as indicated. Clinical data comprise the following: tumor status ranging from pT1 (tumor 2 cm or smaller in greatest dimension) to pT3 (tumor >5 cm); lymph node status from pN0 (no regional lymph node metastasis) to pN3 (metastasis to ipsilateral internal mammary lymph nodes [s]) and pNx (regional lymph node cannot be assessed); tumor grade from 2 (moderately differentiated) to 3 (poorly differentiated); histopathologic data for ER and PR (0 = undetectable; 1 to 3 = weakly positive; 4 to 7 = moderately positive; 8–12 = highly positive); and Her2/neu-status (0 = negative, positive +1 to +3). Ages for each patient are given in years. ^aNo gene amplification detected. x, pNx regional lymphnodes cannot be assessed. ER, estrogen receptor; HER, human epidermal growth factor receptor; PR, progesterone receptor.

ISSN: 1465-542X