title: High expression of stem cell marker ALDH1 is associated with reduced BRCA1 in invasive breast carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer stem cells (CSC) have been described in a variety of malignancies, including breast carcinomas. Among several markers, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been identified as reliable for breast cancer stem cells. Knockdown of BRCA1 in primary breast epithelial cells leads to an increase in cells expressing ALDH1.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 127 breast carcinomas for expression of ALDH1, using immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinicopathological parameters as well as the BRAC1 status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparing the results for both ALDH1 and BRCA1 expression showed a significant inverse association between the two, indicating that reduced BRCA1 was more often seen in breast cancer cells expressing ALDH1 (p-value = 0.044). A total of 24/110 (22%) of tumours displayed the ALDH1 + / BRCA1 -/low phenotype, which showed a trend for a relation with a high grade (p-value= 0.056). Cytoplasmic expression of ALDH1 was not correlated with tumour characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our findings suggest that increased ALDH1 is inversely correlated with decreased BRCA1 in a series of unselected breast carcinomas. Therefore, ALDH1 positive (cancer stem) cells with reduced BRCA1 phenotype may indicate a subset of patients for whom specific targeting of the CSC marker ALDH1 and more aggressive adjuvant treatment is appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Zahra.madjd@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Madjd
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ramezani
authors.forename: Saadat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molanae
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asadi-Lari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells; D010641:Phenotype; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein; C492913:BRCA1 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007527:Isoenzymes; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase