Associations between Notch-2, Akt-1 and HER2/neu expression in invasive human breast cancer: a tissue microarray immunophenotypic analysis on 98 patients.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to investigate the existence of associations between well-established and newly recognized biological and phenotypic features of breast cancer involved in tumor progression and prognosis.


METHODS
Ninety-eight cases of invasive breast cancer were assessed for the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, Ki-67, HER2, Akt-1, and Notch-2, using the tissue microarray technique. Data regarding tumor histotype, histological grade, tumor size and lymph node status were collected for each patient and included in the analysis.


RESULTS
Several significant associations between histological and/or immunophenotypic features came from the analysis of our data. Positive associations were observed between estrogen and progesterone receptors, tumor grade and proliferation index, tumor grade and HER2, Akt-1 and estrogen receptors, and Notch-2 and HER2. Inverse associations were noted between hormone receptors and tumor grade, hormone receptors and HER2, Akt-1 and tumor grade, and Akt-1 and nodal invasion.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results, showing the existence of a number of estrogen receptor-positive tumors with Akt-1 expression, better degree of differentiation, and no lymph node involvement, along with the presence of HER2-positive tumors with strong Notch-2 expression, support the role of Notch and Akt in breast cancer progression and suggest that they may also represent new appealing therapeutic targets.
Florena
Ada Maria
AM
Dipartimento di Patologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italia.
Tripodo
Claudio
C
Guarnotta
Carla
C
Ingrao
Sabrina
S
Porcasi
Rossana
R
Martorana
Anna
A
Lo Bosco
Giosuè
G
Cabibi
Daniela
D
Franco
Vito
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008875:Middle Aged; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051883:Receptor, Notch2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D051883:Receptor, Notch2; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C497764:NOTCH2 protein, human