title: Clinicopathologic correlation of cancer stem cell markers CD44, CD24, VEGF and HIF-1α in ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma of breast: an immunohistochemistry-based pilot study.
abstract: CD24(-/low)CD44(+) cells have been identified as putative cancer stem cells (CSCs) in breast cancer. However, the expression of these markers, as well as their association with clinical parameters or tumor microenvironment of breast cancer, remains largely unknown. In the present study, we examined the expression of CD44, CD24, VEGF, and HIF-1α in human breast tumor tissues and assessed their clinicopathological correlations. We investigated tissue samples, including 117 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDCa), 14 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 15 cases of intraductal hyperplasia (IDH) from breast tissues. The expression of CD44, CD24, HIF-1α, and VEGF was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining. CD24, CD44, HIF-1α, and VEGF were expressed in 49 (41.9%), 51 (43.6%), 32 (27.4%), and 97 cases (82.9%), respectively, in IDCa. CD24(-/low)CD44(+) cells were noted in 48 (41.3%) cases. The levels of CD24 and VEGF expression correlated positively with tumor malignancy (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of CD24, CD44, and VEGF correlated significantly positively with increasing tumor grade (P<0.05). In addition, associations between CD44 and VEGF, CD24 and VEGF, HIF-1α and VEGF, CD24(-/low)CD44(+) and VEGF, CD24(-/low)CD44(+) and HIF-1α were also observed (P<0.05). The HIF-1α expression level was relatively higher in early stage breast cancer patients with CD24(-/low)CD44(+) cells. Taken together, our results suggest that CD24 and VEGF may play important roles in breast tumorigenesis and progression, while HIF-1α may play a role in the early stage of breast carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: The Ultrasonagraphy Center of Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou 215004, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zemin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yongping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Yueping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Maoming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Junchu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Shuying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051927:CD24 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051927:CD24 Antigen; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A