[Expression of TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) and its relationship to microvessel density in breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
The expression of TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) in breast cancer remains disputable. This study was to investigate the expression of TWEAK in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cell lines with different invasive abilities, and the relationship of TWEAK with microvessel density (MVD).


METHODS
Immunohistochemical S-P method was adopted to detect the expression of TWEAK in 70 specimens of breast cancer and 30 specimens of adjacent normal breast tissues. The protein expression of TWEAK was determined by Western blot in a poorly invasive breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and a highly invasive breast cell line MDA-MB-231. Secretion of TWEAK was measured by ELISA assay in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells.


RESULTS
The expression of TWEAK was higher in breast cancer (60%) than in adjacent normal breast tissues( 6.67%) (P<0.05), and is higher in infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast (76.67 %) than in breast ductal carcinoma in situ (42.85%) (P=0.003). MVD was higher in infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast than in breast ductal carcinoma in situ (P<0.05). The expression of TWEAK was significantly correlated with MVD in infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast(r=0.611), but not with breast ductal carcinoma in situ (r=0.015). The expression of TWEAK and secretion of soluble TWEAK were higher in MDA-MB-231 cells than in MCF-7 cells (t=4.259, P=0.007; t=3.6504, P=0.006 ).


CONCLUSIONS
TWEAK expression is related to the metastatic ability of breast cancer.
Zheng
Ying-Wei
YW
Department of Pathology, Chinese Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
Mi
Xiao-Yi
XY
Fang
Chang-Qing
CQ
Liu
Shu-Li
SL
Liu
Nan
N
Wei
Min-Jie
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors