Reduced Expression of Claudin-7 Correlates with Invasiveness and Nuclear Grade of Breast Carcinomas.
- Author:
Sang Hee SEOK
1
;
Su Hwan KANG
;
Soo Jung LEE
;
Tae Yoon HWANG
;
Young Kyung BAE
Author Information
1. Department of Pathology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. ykbae@ynu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Claudin-7;
Breast cancer;
Immunohistochemistry;
Microarray analysis
- MeSH:
Breast Neoplasms*;
Breast*;
Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating;
Cell Polarity;
Claudins;
Epithelial Cells;
Epithelium;
Immunohistochemistry;
Microarray Analysis;
Phenobarbital;
Tight Junctions
- From:Korean Journal of Pathology
2007;41(3):158-164
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background : Claudins are important components of the tight junctions in the intercellular barriers and cell polarity. Among them, claudin-7 is down-regulated in breast cancers compared with the normal breast epithelium. The aim of this study was to determine the expression pattern and prognostic value of claudin-7 in breast carcinomas. Methods : Claudin-7 expression was evaluated immunohistochemically in 42 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and in 142 cases of invasive breast carcinoma (IBC) using a tissue microarray (TMA). Results : Claudin- 7 was strongly expressed in the normal luminal epithelial cells in the breast lobule. The level of claudin-7 expression was significantly lower or absent in 45.2% (19/42) of DCIS and 72.5% (103/142) of IBC. A loss or reduced expression of claudin-7 correlated with the invasiveness (p=0.001) of breast carcinomas and a high nuclear grade (p=0.013) in IBC. Conclusion: Claudin-7 is an important tight junction protein in the breast and a loss of expression may assist in the dissociation and invasion of tumor cells.
