title: Expression of CD31 by cells of extensive ductal in situ and invasive carcinomas of the breast.
abstract: CD31, an adhesion molecule expressed by endothelial cells, leukocytes, and platelets, is used in surgical pathology as a marker of normal and neoplastic vascularization. During the assessment of angiogenesis in breast carcinomas, CD31 expression was observed in a single case of large (5.2 cm diameter) high nuclear grade ductal carcinoma in situ (HG-DCIS) associated with poorly differentiated invasive ductal carcinoma (G3-IDC). Expression was limited to the cell membrane. This study focused on 32 HG-DCIS> or = 2 cm, either pure or associated with IDC. Cancer cells wereCD31(+) in 11 cases. Double staining using anti-CD31 monoclonal antibody (MAb) and anti-CD44 MAb, the anti-hyaluronate receptor, showed that foci of CD31(+) and CD44(-) tumour cells could be traced throughout the glandular tree, marking the intraductal diffusion of tumour up to Paget's cells at the nipple. The associated G3-IDC and their lymph node metastases were instead CD31(+) and CD44(+). CD31(+) tumours were oestrogen receptor (ER)(-), frequently p53(+) and c-erb-B2(+), and infiltrated by CD4(+) T lymphocytes. Normal and hyperplastic epithelia were constantly CD31(-). Other endothelial markers (e.g Factor VIII-RA and CD34) were not expressed by carcinoma cells, as was CD38, the CD31 ligand. In conclusion, CD31 expression is a feature acquired by breast cancer cells in the DCIS model. CD31 expression mainly correlates with tumour cells spreading within the ductal system. Finally, the invasive phenotype requires the co-expression of CD31 and CD44.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Torino Medical School, Torino, Italy. anna.sapino@unito.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sapino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bongiovanni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cassoni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arisio
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deaglio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malavasi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D010145:Paget Disease, Extramammary / Q000276:immunology; D010144:Paget's Disease, Mammary / Q000276:immunology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1