Vimentin is preferentially expressed in human breast carcinomas with low estrogen receptor and high Ki-67 growth fraction.
Vimentin expression, growth fractions (GF), and estrogen receptor (ER) levels were determined for 90 untreated primary breast carcinomas. Coexpression of keratin and vimentin was found in approximately 20% of the tumors regardless of menopausal status. Vimentin was expressed preferentially in tumor cells of high-grade ductal breast carcinomas (15 of 28 histologic grade 3 vs. 0 of 40 grades 1 and 2). Vimentin expression was found preferentially in tumors with high GF (greater than 15% Ki-67 positive by immunoperoxidase staining) and low ER levels (less than 60 fmols/mg protein by a monoclonal enzyme immunoassay). Sixty-eight percent of tumors in this group were vimentin positive and 88% of all vimentin-positive tumors fell into this category. More than 50% of the tumor cells coexpressed vimentin and keratin. Thus, vimentin expression may be helpful in identifying a substantial subset of ER-independent breast carcinomas with poor prognostic indicators.
Domagala
W
W
Department of Tumor Pathology, Medical Academy Szczecin, Poland.
Lasota
J
J
Bartkowiak
J
J
Weber
K
K
Osborn
M
M
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011379:Prognosis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012008:Recurrence; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism*
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D014746:Vimentin