Breast Cancer Overexpressed Gene 1 (BCOX1)

The 222-amino acid BCOX1 protein, with a predicted molecular mass of 24.9 kD, contains a C-terminal tail unique among KIAA0100-related sequences. The protein also contains sites for phosphorylation, amidation, N-myristoylation, and N-glycosylation. BCOX1 was predicted to be cytoplasmic. RT-PCR using cDNA from 4 matched-pair samples of normal and malignant breast tissue showed elevated BCOX1 expression in cancerous breast tissue. RT-PCR also showed that BCOX1 is expressed in normal placenta and pancreas. In in situ hybridization of a panel of normal and cancerous human breast tissues, BCOX1 showed no expression in normal breast tissue, moderate expression in ductal in situ carcinoma, and strong expression in invasive and metastatic breast cancer cells.