title: Preserved Axin expression is associated with an aggressive phenotype in invasive breast carcinomas.
abstract: Reduced Axin expression has been associated with an aggressive behavior in lung and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. Its role in breast cancer has not been defined. The aim of our study was to investigate the expression pattern of Axin protein in invasive breast carcinomas, in relation to the behavior and prognosis of the disease. Immunohistochemistry was performed for the detection of Axin expression in 232 breast cancer tissues. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to assess the relation of Axin expression with classic clinicopathological parameters, patients' survival and various biologic markers Human Epidermal Factor-2 (HER-2), Ki-67, topoIIα, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)]. Preserved cytoplasmic Axin expression was positively correlated to lymph node invasion, HER-2 and GSK-3β and inversely to Ki-67 and topoIIα. Nuclear Axin was positively associated with tumor size. Stromal Axin showed a parallel association with lymph node status and HER-2. In the subgroup of lobular breast carcinomas, preserved Axin was found to exert an unfavorable impact on patients' overall survival. Our findings indicate, for the first time, that in invasive breast cancer preserved Axin expression is associated with a more aggressive phenotype and that in the discrete subtype of lobular breast carcinomas Axin negatively influences patients' overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of 1st Pathology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theohari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Irini
authors.forename: Alexandrou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paraskevi
authors.forename: Giannopoulou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ioanna
authors.forename: Papadimitriou
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christos
authors.forename: Nakopoulou
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lydia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060466:Axin Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D060466:Axin Protein; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human
keywords: Axin; aggressive phenotype; breast cancer