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Published on: September 20, 2016
Caveolin-1 expression in human breast lobular cancer progression
Giuseppe Perrone1, Vittorio Altomare, Mariagiovanna Zagami
1Department of Anatomical Pathology, Universitá Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy. g.perrone@unicampus.it
Summary
Caveolin-1 expression decreases with advancing lobular intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN) grade and is significantly lower in invasive lobular carcinoma. These variations highlight caveolin-1
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Pathology
Background:
- Caveolin-1 is a key structural protein of caveolae.
- The caveolin-1 gene functions as a tumor suppressor in human mammary cancer cells.
- Limited data exist on caveolin-1 expression in human breast cancer tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate caveolin-1 expression across the spectrum of human lobular neoplasia (LIN).
- To investigate differences in caveolin-1 expression during human lobular neoplasia progression.
- To correlate caveolin-1 expression with LIN grade and invasive lobular carcinoma presence.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was used to assess caveolin-1 presence.
- 147 pure lobular lesions (LIN and invasive lobular carcinoma) from 112 patients were analyzed.
- Statistical analysis was performed to determine significance of expression differences.
Main Results:
- 64% of all lobular lesions were positive for caveolin-1.
- Caveolin-1 expression was significantly higher in LIN (81%) compared to invasive lobular carcinoma (42%).
- Expression decreased with increasing LIN grade (91% grade 1, 68% grade 2, 35% grade 3).
- Significant differences in caveolin-1 expression were found between LIN grades and invasive lobular carcinoma.
Conclusions:
- Variations in caveolin-1 expression play a crucial role in human breast lobular cancer progression.
- The findings support the clinical utility of the LIN classification.
- Results suggest invasive lobular carcinoma may arise from clonal expansion of LIN cells.
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