Expression of E-cadherin and c-erbB-2/HER-2/neu Oncoprotein in High-Grade Breast Cancer
Authors:
G. Turashvili 1; K. Bouchalova 2; J. Bouchal 1; Z. Kolar 1
Authors‘ workplace:
Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology, Palacky University
Olomouc, Czech Republic
1; Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Palacky University
and University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic
2
Published in:
Čes.-slov. Patol., 43, 2007, No. 3, p. 87-92
Category:
Original Article
Overview
E-cadherin (E-CD) is an epithelial-specific cell adhesion molecule, whose expression is lost in invasive lobular (ILC) but not in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast. This cell adhesion system can be disrupted by tyrosine kinase c-erbB-2/HER-2/neu. We examined 106 cases of highgrade invasive breast cancer, including 91 IDCs, 12 ILCs and 3 pleomorphic lobular carcinomas (PLCs). We determined Nottingham histological grade and performed immunohistochemistry for estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PR), Ki-67, E-CD and c-erbB-2/HER-2/neu with subsequent fluorescence in situ hybridization. Amplification of c-erbB-2/HER-2/neu gene was observed in 55/91 (60.4%) of IDCs, 3/12 (25%) of ILCs and 1/3 (33.3%) of PLCs, and associated with positive axillary lymph nodes. E-CD expression was lost in 14/91 (15.4%) of IDCs, 10/12 (83.3%) of ILCs and 2/3 (66.7%) of PLCs. The loss of E-CD immunoreactivity in IDCs appeared to be associated with c-erbB-2/HER-2/neu gene amplification, negative ER/PR status and positive lymph nodes, whereas E-CD-positive ILCs tended to be HER-2/neu-positive. The biological significance of E-CD expression seems to be different in high-grade IDC and ILC. Oncogenic pathway mediated by cerbB- 2/HER-2/neu may affect the E-CD expression in most invasive ductal breast carcinomas in vivo.
Key words:
ductal breast carcinoma - lobular breast carcinoma - E-cadherin - c-erbB-2/HER-2/neu - immunohistochemistry
Labels
Anatomical pathology Forensic medical examiner ToxicologyArticle was published in
Czecho-Slovak Pathology
2007 Issue 3
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