Original Paper

Associations between Notch-2, Akt-1 and HER2/neu Expression in Invasive Human Breast Cancer: A Tissue Microarray Immunophenotypic Analysis on 98 Patients
Ada Maria Florena, Claudio Tripodo, Carla Guarnotta, Sabrina Ingrao, Rossana Porcasi, Anna Martorana, Giosuè Lo Bosco, Daniela Cabibi, Vito Franco

Dipartimento di Patologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italia

Address of Corresponding Author

Pathobiology 2007;74:317-322 (DOI: 10.1159/000110024)

  Key Words

• Breast cancer
• Tissue microarray
• HER2
• Akt
• Notch

  Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate the existence of associations between well-established and newly recognized biological and phenotypic features of breast cancer involved in tumor progression and prognosis. Methods: Ninety-eight cases of invasive breast cancer were assessed for the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, Ki-67, HER2, Akt-1, and Notch-2, using the tissue microarray technique. Data regarding tumor histotype, histological grade, tumor size and lymph node status were collected for each patient and included in the analysis. Results: Several significant associations between histological and/or immunophenotypic features came from the analysis of our data. Positive associations were observed between estrogen and progesterone receptors, tumor grade and proliferation index, tumor grade and HER2, Akt-1 and estrogen receptors, and Notch-2 and HER2. Inverse associations were noted between hormone receptors and tumor grade, hormone receptors and HER2, Akt-1 and tumor grade, and Akt-1 and nodal invasion. Conclusions: Our results, showing the existence of a number of estrogen receptor-positive tumors with Akt-1 expression, better degree of differentiation, and no lymph node involvement, along with the presence of HER2-positive tumors with strong Notch-2 expression, support the role of Notch and Akt in breast cancer progression and suggest that they may also represent new appealing therapeutic targets.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Claudio Tripodo
Dipartimento di Patologia Umana, Università degli Studi
Via del Vespro 129
IT-90127 Palermo (Italy)
Tel. +39 091 655 3529, Fax +39 091 655 3549, E-Mail tripodo@unipa.it

  Article Information

Received: January 23, 2007
Accepted after revision: June 15, 2007
Published online: December 13, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 26