title: Minichromosome maintenance protein 2 is a reliable proliferative marker in breast carcinoma.
abstract: This is a study aimed to examine the distribution pattern of a specific minichromosome maintenance protein 2 (MCM2) in benign and malignant breast tissue. We also aim to correlate the frequency of expression of MCM2 with the degree of tumor differentiation. We used immunohistochemistry to examine the distribution and expression pattern of MCM2 on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of benign (n = 30) and malignant breast tissue (n = 70) (IDC 56, DCIS 4, ILC 2, nonductal 4, mixed type 4). We quantified MCM2 expression by calculating a labeling index, which represents the percentage of epithelial nuclei that stained positively. Immunoreactivity was heterogenous in all the 70 malignant cases examined. Epithelial cells in cycle are most frequent at the tumor periphery. Labeling index of MCM2 was greatest in grade 3 (poorly differentiated) and lowest in grade 1 tumors (well differentiated). Minichromosome maintenance protein 2 expression in breast cancer showed a positive association with histologic grade (P < .05). In all the benign breast tissue examined, no proliferating compartments could be characterized. Minichromosome maintenance protein 2 is a useful proliferative marker of breast carcinoma. The frequency of expression of MCM2 showed an inverse correlation with the degree of tumor differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Yaacob Latif, 56000 Cheras Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ayureena@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rahayu Md Zin
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Reena
authors.forename: Mokhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mastura
authors.forename: Md Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Siti-Aishah
authors.forename: Md Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Munirah
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Norlia
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Naqiyah
authors.forename: Muhamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohaizak
authors.forename: Noor Akmal
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sharifah
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D064111:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; C084859:MCM2 protein, human; D064111:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2