Glycodelin expression in correlation to grading, nodal involvement and steroid receptor expression in human breast cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
Glycodelin (Gd) is an endometrially secreted glycoprotein, found in high quantities during early pregnancy. It shapes local immune responses in order to allow implantation and invasion of the semiallogeneic blastocyst into the maternal endometrium. It exists in various glycosylation isoforms, that influence their staining behaviour.


METHODS
A polyclonal anti-Gd IgG-antibody specific for the core amino acid sequence of Gd was used to stain 121 paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissue blocks. We correlated Gd expression to known prognostic markers such as grading, nodal involvement and steroid-receptor positivity.


RESULTS
Gd was expressed in invasive lobular and ductal breast cancer and its expression was significantly reduced upon dedifferentiation. A non significant increase in Gd staining intensity was noted upon axillary lymph node involvement steroid receptor positivity.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that Gd may be useful as an additional marker for the differentiation of breast cancer tissue, yet indicating an increased tendency towards lymph node metastasis.
Scholz
Christoph
C
LMU Munich, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Munich, Germany. cscholz@med.lmu.de
Toth
Bettina
B
Barthell
Elisabeth
E
Mylonas
Ioannis
I
Weissenbacher
Tobias
T
Friese
Klaus
K
Jeschke
Udo
U
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
D000071816:Glycodelin; D006023:Glycoproteins; C045246:PAEP protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011987:Receptors, Steroid