Over expression of hRad9 protein correlates with reduced chemosensitivity in breast cancer with administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Human Rad 9 (hRad9), part of the Rad9-Hus1-Rad1 complex plays an important role in DNA damage repair as an up-stream regulator of checkpoint signaling, however little is known about its role in response to chemotherapy of breast cancer and whether hRad9 inhibition can potentiate the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer cells remains to be elucidated. Fifty cases of breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy were collected. All these cases were revised and classified into chemotherapy sensitive (CS) or chemotherapy resistant (CR) group according to the Miller and Payne (MP) grading system. Immunohistochemically, hRad9 positive tumours showed nuclear and/or cytoplasmic staining. hRad9 over-expression was associated with an impaired neoadjuvant chemotherapy response. A significant correlation was found between expression of hRad9 and Cyclin D1. In vitro, hRad9 was knocked down using siRNA in breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Deregulated expression of Rad9 accompanied by down expression of chk1 enhanced the sensitivity of human breast cancer cells to doxorubicin. Our work suggests that hRad9 might be a potential predictor for the response to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer and its clinical value as a target for improving chemosensitivity needs further exploration.