Expression patterns of ER-alpha, PR, HER-2/neu, and EGFR in different cell origin subtypes of high grade and non-high grade ductal carcinoma in situ.
We have previously reported that high grade and non-high grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast can be subdivided into 3 cell origin subtypes (luminal, basal/stem, and null), and that high grade DCIS is more frequently associated with basal/stem cell subtypes compared to non-high grade DCIS. Here we refine the relationships between these 3 subtypes and the expression patterns of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha), progesterone receptor (PR), HER-2/neu, and epidermal growth factor receptor (ERFR) in 53 cases of non-high grade and 46 cases of high nuclear grade DCIS. Using a panel of antibodies to ER-alpha, PR, HER-2/neu, and EGFR, along with cytokeratin (CK) markers (CK5/6, CK8, CK14, CK17, and CK18), we found that all 3 cell origin subtypes can express ER-alpha and PR, and their expression is higher in non-high grade DCIS than in high grade DCIS; the expression of HER-2/neu is associated with luminal subtype only in non-high grade DCIS, but can be seen in all 3 subtypes in high grade DCIS; the expression of EGFR is low and is present only in luminal cell subtypes in both high and non-high grade DCIS. Basal/ stem cell and null cell subtypes occur in younger patients in non-high grade DCIS compared to high grade DCIS. In conclusion, the expression patterns of ER-alpha, PR, HER-2/neu, and EGFR are markedly different in different cell origin subtypes of both high grade and non-high grade DCIS, suggesting that cell origin subtypes as well as nuclear grade contribute to the biological and molecular heterogeneity of DCIS.
Tang
Ping
P
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 626, Rochester, New York 14642 USA. ping_tang@urmc.rochester.edu
Wang
Xi
X
Schiffhauer
Linda
L
Wang
Jianmin
J
Bourne
Patricia
P
Yang
Qi
Q
Quinn
Andrew
A
Hajdu
Steven
S