Expression of wild-type estrogen receptor beta protein in human breast cancer: specific correlation with HER2/neu overexpression.
Expression of estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) protein in human breast cancer and correlation with clinicopathological factors have been reported by many investigators, but many of them used ERbeta antibodies that react with both wild-type ERbeta (ERbetawt) and splicing variant isoform. Therefore, the frequency and correlation with clinicopathological factors of ERbetawt expression remain to be established. In the present study a monoclonal antibody EMR02, specific for ERbetawt, was used in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from 225 female primary breast cancer patients diagnosed as having invasive ductal carcinoma. Expression of ERalpha, progesterone receptor (PgR) and HER2/neu were also investigated by immunohistochemistry. For ERbetawt, ERalpha and PgR, positivity was defined as nuclear staining in >10% of the cancer cells. HER2/neu overexpression was defined as a Hercep test score 3+. Positivity for ERbetawt, ERalpha, PgR and HER2/neu overexpression was 55%, 74%, 61% and 25%, respectively. The expression of ERbetawt had a positive correlation with ERalpha (P=0.018) and PgR (P=0.02). There was significant positive correlation between ERbetawt expression and HER2/neu overexpression (P<0.0001). According to multivariate logistic regression analysis the most significant association was between ERbetawt expression and HER2/neu overexpression (P<0.0001). These results suggest that clinical significances of ERbetawt expression in human breast cancer patients may be more complex.
Umekita
Yoshihisa
Y
Department of Tumor Pathology, Field of Oncology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, and Sagara Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan. umekita@m2.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Souda
Masakazu
M
Ohi
Yasuyo
Y
Sagara
Yoshiatsu
Y
Rai
Yoshiaki
Y
Takahama
Tetsuya
T
Yoshida
Hiroki
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000068878:Trastuzumab
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D000068878:Trastuzumab