Snapshot of Technologies

Epigenetic Marker Panel for Breast Cancer

  1. Overview

Brief Description:This invention provides an epigenetic marker panel composed of three molecules—Aprataxin PNK-like Factor (APLF), H2BUb1, and Holliday junction recognition protein (HJURP)—for identifying the progression and subtype of breast cancer. Its purpose is to offer an efficient method for breast cancer detection, staging, and subtyping using a minimal number of markers. This panel aims to overcome the limitations of current methods that often rely on a larger number of genes, making them costly and potentially less efficient for identifying specific stages and types of cancer.

Development Stage: Experimentally validated using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Qpath software; a decision tree for diagnosis and subtyping has been formulated.

  1. Key Features
  • Three-Marker Panel: Utilizes only APLF, H2BUb1, and HJURP, offering a more minimal and potentially cost-effective approach than current multi-gene panels.
  • Dual Diagnostic Capability: Capable of identifying both breast cancer progression stages (inflammation, benign, malignant, metastasis) and molecular subtypes (Luminal A/B, Her2, TNBC).
  • Immunohistochemistry-based Method: Employs a reproducible IHC protocol with specific antibodies and Qpath software for histoscore analysis.
  1. Benefits:
  • Economic Impact: Potential for reduced diagnostic costs due to the minimal marker panel.
  • Social Impact: Aims for earlier and more accurate breast cancer detection, leading to better patient outcomes and targeted therapies.
  1. Applications:
  • Healthcare: This technology is directly applicable in breast cancer diagnostics for:
    • Identifying the presence of cancer, inflammation, or benign conditions.
    • Determining the stage of disease progression (benign, inflammation, malignant, metastasis).
    • Classifying breast cancer into specific molecular subtypes (Luminal A/B, Her2, TNBC).
  •  Research Opportunities: Requires further extensive analysis of patient samples for clinical substantiation.
  1. Case Studies:
  • Case Study 1: Validation shown through IHC analysis of APLF, HJURP, and H2BUb1 expression in various tissue samples, demonstrating associations with cancer stages, tumor size, and node status.
  • Case Study 2: A molecular panel based on histone epigenetics was formulated, with a decision tree using the three markers to guide diagnosis and subtyping.
  1. IP Status:
  • Intellectual Property:  Filed Indian Patent application vide no. 202241028767 dated May 19, 2022.
  1. Support Offered:
  • Licensing Options: Exclusive, non-exclusive licensing options are available.
  • Technical Support: Experimental protocols and optimization guidance will be provided.
  • Collaboration Opportunities: Co‑development of therapeutic applications, Research collaborations and Industry partnerships.
  1. Contact Information:

Contact Person: :Dr. Debasree Dutta, Scientist, BRIC-RGCB

Email Address: smanjula@rgcb.res.in,techventures@rgcb.res.in

Phone Number: +91-471-2529-597

Website: https://rgcb.res.in/otv/ip-portfolio.php