title: Expression of class 3 semaphorins and their receptors in human breast neoplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify the involvement of class 3 semaphorins (Sema3) and receptors, neuropilins (Np1 and Np2) and plexins (A1-A4) in breast cancer development and angiogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We quantified and correlated Sema3A, Sema3B, Sema3F and their known receptors and coreceptors Plexin-A1, Plexin-A3, Np1 and Np2 in sections of normal human breast, benign and pre-malignant hyperplastic tissue, pre-invasive and invasive cancer, and compared these findings with our previously published data on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and microvessel density (MVD) in the same samples. Histological analysis revealed that Sema3B was expressed more strongly and widely than Sema3A and 3F in normal breast tissue and all three semaphorins decreased with the transition from in situ to invasive cancer (P < 0.014). Plexin-A3 decreased significantly with progression towards invasive cancer (P < 0.045), whereas Plexin-A1 expression was only significantly reduced once invasion had occurred (P = 0.012). Np1 and Np2 were expressed in both endothelial and epithelial/tumour cells. Np2 expression did not change, but Np1 expression significantly increased in the spectrum from hyperplasia to ductal carcinoma in situ (P < 0.035), but decreased with invasive cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that a decrease in class 3 semaphorin and their plexin receptors have some relationship with disease progression in ductal breast carcinoma.
authors: Academic Units of Surgical Oncology Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. c.a.staton@shef.ac.uk
authors: Carolyn A
authors: CA
authors: Staton
authors: Lucy A
authors: LA
authors: Shaw
authors: Manoj
authors: M
authors: Valluru
authors: Leslie
authors: L
authors: Hoh
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Koay
authors: Simon S
authors: SS
authors: Cross
authors: Malcolm W
authors: MW
authors: Reed
authors: Nicola J
authors: NJ
authors: Brown
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D039961:Semaphorins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C492116:PLXNA1 protein, human; C097871:PLXNA3 protein, human; C492119:PLXNB1 protein, human; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D039961:Semaphorins