title: Aberrant c-erbB2 expression in cell clusters overlying focally disrupted breast myoepithelial cell layers: a trigger or sign for emergence of more aggressive cell clones?
abstract: Our recent studies revealed that cell clusters overlying focal myoepithelial cell layer disruption (FMCLD) had a significantly higher frequency of genetic instabilities and expression of invasion-related genes than their adjacent counterparts within the same duct. Our current study attempted to assess whether these cell clusters would also have elevated c-erbB2 expression. Human breast tumors (n=50) with a high frequency of FMCLD were analyzed with double immunohistochemistry, real-time RT-PCR, and chromogenic in situ hybridization for c-erbB2 protein and gene expression. Of 448 FMCLD detected, 404 (90.2%) were associated with cell clusters that had intense c-erbB2 immunoreactivities primarily in their cytoplasm, in contrast to their adjacent counterparts within the same duct, which had no or barely detectable c-erbB2 expression. These c-erbB2 positive cells were arranged as tongue-like projections, "puncturing" into the stroma, and about 20% of them were in direct continuity with tube-like structures that resembled blood vessels. Aberrant c-erbB2 expression was also seen in clusters of architecturally normal-appearing ducts that had distinct cytological abnormalities in both ME and epithelial cells, whereas not in their clear-cut normal counterparts. Molecular assays detected markedly higher c-erbB2 mRNA and gene amplification in cell clusters associated with FMCLD than in those associated with non-disrupted ME cell layers. Our findings suggest that cell clusters overlying FMCLD may represent the precursors of pending invasive lesions, and that aberrant c-erbB2 expression may trigger or signify the emergence of biologically more aggressive cell clones.
authors: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
authors: Xichen
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: Shahreyar Shar
authors: SS
authors: Hashemi
authors: Morvarid
authors: M
authors: Yousefi
authors: Jinsong
authors: J
authors: Ni
authors: Qiuyue
authors: Q
authors: Wang
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Gao
authors: Pengtao
authors: P
authors: Gong
authors: Chunling
authors: C
authors: Gao
authors: Joy
authors: J
authors: Sheng
authors: Jeffrey
authors: J
authors: Mason
authors: Yan-gao
authors: YG
authors: Man
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases