Evaluation of Immune Gene Signatures and Methylation Status to Address Breast Cancer Health Disparities in Nigerian Women

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer and a major public health challenge among Nigeria women, accounting for 32,278 cases (25.3% of new diagnoses) and 16,332 deaths (20.5% of cancer mortality). Black women of African ancestry face unique challenges, often presenting with more aggressive disease, yet genomic and molecular data from this population are severely limited. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is not a passive bystander; it is a complex, active participant in cancer biology, critically influencing BC progression, metastasis, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the expression levels and methylation status of immune gene signatures in Nigerian BC patients to bridge this critical disparity gap.

Tissue samples of 100 malignant and 100 adjacent normal breast tissue samples from newly diagnosed patients will be collected. DNA and total RNA will be extracted using the Qiagen AllPrep DNA/RNA kit. Gene expression levels of target immune gene signatures will be quantified using quantitative Reverse Transcription-PCR. The association of gene expression with epigenetic regulation will be determined by analyzing DNA methylation using Methylation-Specific PCRfollowing bisulfite conversion.

It is expected that malignant breast tumors will exhibit significant dysregulation of the selected immune gene signatures compared to adjacent normal tissues, correlating with previously reported aggressive molecular features in this population. Furthermore, a significant association is expected between the expression levels of these immune genes and their corresponding DNA methylation patterns, suggesting epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the unique TME landscape in Nigerian breast cancer.

These findings will provide unique, population-specific insights into the immune landscape and molecular pathology of breast cancer in Nigerian women. Understanding the specific expression and methylation profile of TME components is vital for identifying novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Ultimately, validating these immune gene signatures will contribute directly to the development of tailored, population-specific therapeutic and prognostic strategies, thereby addressing the health disparities in breast cancer outcomes currently faced by women of African ancestry.