Altered expression of ApoA-1 and Ig �� chain c-region containing fraction ApoA-1 and Ig �� chain c-region were identified in SEB8 fraction. Although a major proportion of breast cancer and benign breast disease no patients exhibited up-regulation of this protein fraction, breast cancer patients cannot be discriminated from benign breast disease patients on the basis of the expression of these proteins (P = 0.099; Table 2). Expression pattern of this protein fraction seems to be influenced by the status of chemotherapeutic treatment and HCV infection (P = 0.032). Moreover, it is interesting to note that non-chemotherapeutically treated patients were found to have predominant up-regulation (65.63%) whereas a higher proportion of chemotherapeutically treated and HCV positive breast cancer patients showed down-regulation of this protein fraction (Table 3).

Similarly, the apoA-1 and Ig �� chain c-region containing protein fraction was significantly up-regulated in infiltrating/invasive ductal carcinoma patients and patients whose carcinoma type was not identified, but predominantly down-regulated in in-situ duct carcinoma patients (Table 3). X2 analysis has revealed a 23.9% chance that the deviation from normal is due to chance only (P = 0.239). Hence, type of breast cancer did not contribute differentially towards the altered expression of this protein fraction (Table 3). Effect of chemotherapy on the expression of various proteins A small fraction of the BC patients (n = 8) investigated in the present study had undergone 2�C6 cycles of chemotherapy.

In these patients, all identified protein fractions were significantly down-regulated with the exception of SEB3 and SEB4. SEB3 (modified TTR) was expressed in a small fraction of chemotherapeutically treated patients whereas there was no change in the expression level of the SEB4 fraction as compared to the normal controls (Table 3). Combined effect of HBV/HCV infection and BC The current study included two lobular carcinoma patients and one spindle cell neoplasm patient. One patient was found to be HBV-positive and had also been treated chemotherapeutically. Batimastat SEB1, 5 and 7 were up-regulated while SEB2 and 6 were down-regulated in the patient suffering from spindle cell neoplasm. Lobular carcinoma patients exhibited down-regulation of SEB6 and SEB7, while out of 2 lobular carcinoma patients, one exhibited up- and other down-regulation of SEB1, 2 and 5. In HBV-positive and chemotherapeutically-treated BC patient, SEB1, 2, 5 and 7 were down-regulated but SEB6 was up-regulated. Modified TTR (SEB4) expression was documented in one lobular carcinoma patient as well as in the patient suffering from spindle cell neoplasm.