title: Nuclear localization of cancer stem cell marker CD133 in triple-negative breast cancer: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been recently demonstrated that the detection of stem cell niches in triple-negative (TN) breast cancer may provide good prognostic clues for this tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the subcellular expression and localization of the cancer stem cell marker CD133 in a TN breast cancer biopsy from a 42-year-old Caucasian woman with a histological diagnosis of high-grade invasive ductal breast carcinoma by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe for the first time in a TN breast cancer the nuclear mislocalization of CD133, which normally shows membrane localization and more sporadically cytoplasmic localization. We also found this aberrant expression with qRT-PCR analysis but not flow cytometry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nuclear localization of CD133 may be an indicator of poor prognosis in TN breast cancer, as it is known that surface molecules, when moving into the nucleus, can act as transcriptional regulators by interfering with molecular pathways directly connected to the proliferation and differentiation of tumor cells.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cantile
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Collina
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Aiuto
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pirozzi
authors.forename: Carmela
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borsellino
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Botti
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Bonito
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001706:Biopsy; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides