Karger Publishers, Pathobiology, 5-6(85), p. 311-321, 2018
DOI: 10.1159/000492392
Full text: Unavailable
<b><i>Objective:</i></b> The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression of cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-related proteins and their implication in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We constructed a tissue microarray of 223 cases of DCIS and examined immunohistochemical staining for the 7 CAF-related proteins. We classified DCIS into luminal type, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) type, and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) according to the immunohistochemical results for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER-2. We also classified DCIS into desmoplastic, normal-like, and inflammatory type according to stromal histology. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There were significant differences in the expression of S100A4, podoplanin, prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 3, NG2, and PDGFRα in stromal cells of DCIS when classified according to molecular subtype. The expression rate of all CAF-related proteins in stromal cells was higher in the HER-2 type and TNBC than in the luminal type (<i>p</i> < 0.001). When classified according to stromal subtype, there were significant differences in the expression of all CAF-related proteins in stromal cells, with the inflammatory stromal type showing higher expression of CAF-related proteins than other stromal types. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The expression of CAF-related proteins in stromal cells of DCIS varies according to molecular subtype and stromal type.