title: Expression patterns of GATA3 and the androgen receptor are strongly correlated in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
abstract: GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA3) is a diagnostically useful immunohistochemical marker of breast cancer. Because of its strong association with estrogen receptor expression, GATA3 has markedly reduced sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We constructed a tissue microarray using a large series of TNBCs and evaluated GATA3 expression by TNBC subtype as defined by surrogate immunohistochemical markers. A total of 205 TNBCs were classified into cancers of the molecular apocrine type (n=23, 11.2%), claudin-low type (n=21, 10.2%), basal-like type (n=91, 44.4%), mixed type (n=62, 30.2%), and null type (n=8, 3.9%). The GATA3 scores (staining intensity × proportion) were categorized as negative (0), focally positive (1-10), or positive (11-300). GATA3 staining was negative in 153 cancers (74.6%), focally positive in 11 (5.4%), and positive in 41 (20.0%). The rate of focal positivity or positivity for GATA3 was significantly higher in the molecular apocrine type (73.9%, 17/23) than in other types of TNBCs (P=.001). The mean GATA3 score of molecular apocrine-type TNBC was significantly higher than that of the other types (P=.001) and differed significantly between androgen receptor (AR)-positive and AR-negative TNBCs (P<.001). In conclusion, GATA3 expression was correlated strongly with AR-positive, molecular apocrine-type TNBCs. Co-expression of AR and GATA3 is a specific feature of molecular apocrine-type TNBC, which may serve as a diagnostic aid for cancer of unknown primary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13496, Korea.
authors.forename: Sewha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 1071, Anyangcheon-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 07985, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-In
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 1071, Anyangcheon-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 07985, Korea.
authors.forename: Woosung
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 1071, Anyangcheon-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 07985, Korea.
authors.forename: Sanghui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 1071, Anyangcheon-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 07985, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, 1071, Anyangcheon-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 07985, Korea. Electronic address: sunhsung@ewha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sun Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000032:analysis*; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: C410798:AR protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494749:GATA3 protein, human; D011944:Receptors, Androgen
keywords: Androgen receptor; GATA3; Immunohistochemistry; Molecular subtype; Triple-negative breast carcinoma