title: Expression of autophagy-related proteins according to androgen receptor and HER-2 status in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of autophagy-related proteins in relation to androgen receptor (AR) status in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We extracted 334 ER-negative breast cancer samples to construct tissue microarrays (TMAs), which were immunohistochemically stained for autophagy-related proteins (beclin-1, LC3A, LC3B, p62) and for AR and HER-2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 127 AR-positive cases and 207 AR-negative cases, and 140 HER-2-positive cases and 194 HER-2 negative cases. The AR-negative group was associated with tumoral LC3A expression (P<0.001), while the AR-positive group was associated with tumoral BNIP3 expression (P<0.001). Tumoral LC3A was most highly expressed in the AR-negative and HER-2 negative group, while stromal LC3A showed the highest expression in the AR-negative and HER-2-positive group. Tumoral BNIP3 and stromal BNIP3 were highest in the AR-positive and HER-2-negative group. In the AR-positive and HER-2-negative group, stromal p62 positivity was an independent factor that was statistically significant in its association with shorter disease-free survival (DFS) (Hazard ratio: 10.21, 95% CI: 1.130-92.31, P = 0.039). Shorter DFS was associated with tumoral LC3A positivity (Hazard ratio: 10.28, 95% CI: 2.068-51.19, P = 0.004) in the AR-negative and HER-2-positive group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In ER-negative breast cancers, AR status was associated with expression of different types of autophagy-related proteins. Tumoral LC3A was most highly expressed in AR-negative breast cancers, while tumor BNIP3 was highest in AR-positive breast cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Severance Hospital, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Severance Hospital, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Hee
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Severance Hospital, Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ja Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Koo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001343:Autophagy / Q000235:genetics*; D000071186:Beclin-1; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D000071186:Beclin-1; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; C090121:BNIP3 protein, human; C477012:MAP1LC3A protein, human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human