title: Clinicopathologic and prognostic implications of progranulin in breast carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Progranulin is a newly discovered 88-kDa glycoprotein originally purified from the highly tumorigenic mouse teratoma-derived cell line PC. Its expression is closely correlated with the development and metastasis of several cancers. However, no immunohistochemical evidence currently exists to correlate progranulin expression with clinicopathologic features in breast carcinoma biopsies, and the role of progranulin as a new marker of metastatic risk and prognosis in breast cancer has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic and prognostic implications of progranulin expression in breast carcinoma and its correlation with tumor angiogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Progranulin expression was determined immunohistochemically in 183 surgical specimens from patients with breast cancer and 20 tissue samples from breast fibroadenomas. The tumor angiogenesis-related biomarker, vascular endothelial growth factor was assayed and microvessel density was assessed by counting vascular endothelial cells in tumor tissues labeled with endoglin antibody. The relationship between progranulin expression and the clinicopathologic data were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Progranulin proteins were overexpressed in breast cancer. The level of progranulin expression was significantly correlated with tumor size (P = 0.004), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001) and TNM staging (P < 0.001). High progranulin expression was associated with higher tumor angiogenesis, reflected by increased vascular endothelial growth factor expression (P < 0.001) and higher microvessel density (P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Progranulin may be a valuable marker for assessing the metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer, and could provide the basis for new combination regimens with antiangiogenic activity.
authors.affiliation: Huzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Affiliated Central Hospital of Huzhou Teachers College, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, China.
authors.forename: Li-qin
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hui-lian
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jin-liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ping
authors.forename: Xiao-hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Li-cheng
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071063:Endoglin; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077153:Progranulins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; C492314:GRN protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D000077153:Progranulins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A