title: Aberrant expression of decoy receptor 3 in human breast cancer: relevance to lymphangiogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3), a decoy receptor against Fas ligand belonging to the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, is overexpressed in some forms of cancer. It was recently reported that DcR3 could protect endothelial cells from apoptosis, implying a potential role in the development of vessels, whereas its role in the lymphangiogenesis remains unclear. In the present study, we studied the DcR3 expression and its relationship with the lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD) to investigate if it played a role in the lymph metastasis of human breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were performed to measure the messenger RNA and protein expression of DcR3 in the breast cancer tissues, noncancerous counterparts, and axillary lymph node from 63 patients. LMVD in these specimens was assessed by counting the D2-40 labeled-microvessels. Furthermore, the correlations between DcR3 expression and LMVD and other clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DcR3 was overexpressed in the breast cancer tissue of 58 patients (92.1%) and was also expressed in vascular endothelial cells and tumor cells in the lymph nodes. LMVD in cancer tissue and lymph nodes were both positively correlated to the aberrant expression of DcR3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relevance between DcR3 overexpression and LMVD revealed the existence of possible links between DcR3 and lymphangiogenesis. Based on these findings, it is important to further explore the regulation of lymphangiogenesis operated by the reverse tumor necrosis factor signaling of DcR3.
authors.affiliation: Xiamen Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Qiuwan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yahong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Xiamen Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Donghan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Xiamen Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Xiamen Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Chuanhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Xiamen Cancer Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China. Electronic address: zhangzhiming164@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D053323:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 6b / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D053323:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 6b
keywords: Breast cancer; Decoy receptor 3; Immunohistochemistry; Lymphangiogenesis; Lymphatic microvessel density