Exploring the intrinsic differences among breast tumor subtypes defined using immunohistochemistry markers based on the decision tree

Exploring the intrinsic differences among breast cancer subtypes is of crucial importance for precise diagnosis and therapeutic decision-making in diseases of high heterogeneity. The subtypes defined with several layers of information are related but not consistent, especially using immunohistochemistry markers and gene expression profiling. Here, we explored the intrinsic differences among the subtypes defined by the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 based on the decision tree. We identified 30 mRNAs and 7 miRNAs differentially expressed along the tree’s branches. The final signature panel contained 30 mRNAs, whose performance was validated using two public datasets based on 3 well-known classifiers. The network and pathway analysis were explored for feature genes, from which key molecules including FOXQ1 and SFRP1 were revealed to be densely connected with other molecules and participate in the validated metabolic pathways. Our study uncovered the differences among the four IHC-defined breast tumor subtypes at the mRNA and miRNA levels, presented a novel signature for breast tumor subtyping, and identified several key molecules potentially driving the heterogeneity of such tumors. The results help us further understand breast tumor heterogeneity, which could be availed in clinics.