Original Article
Expressions and clinical significances of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 and transforming growth factor-β2 in triple negative breast cancer
Guo Chongyong, Li Yongmei, Li Bocheng, Zhou Ling, Zhang Jian, Jia Zongshi
Published 2017-11-08
Cite as J Int Oncol, 2017,44(11): 801-805. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1673-422X.2017.11.001
Abstract
ObjectiveTo investigate the expressions and clinical significances of breast cancer stem cell markers such as aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) in patients with triple negative breast cancer.
MethodsSamples of 60 triple negative breast cancer tissues were investigated for the expressions of ALDH1 and TGF-β2 proteins by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation analysis, disease-free survival analysis and overall survival analysis were performed.
ResultsThe positive expressions of ALDH1 protein and TGF-β2 protein in the 60 breast cancer primary lesions were 23 cases (38.33%) and 38 cases (63.33%) respectively. The expression of ALDH1 protein was not correlated with tumor size (χ2=0.307, P=0.580), histological grade (χ2=4.244, P=0.120), clinical stage (χ2=0.982, P=0.612) or lymph node metastasis (χ2=1.111, P=0.292). The expression of TGF-β2 protein was not correlated with histological grade (χ2=4.651, P=0.098), lymph node metastasis (χ2=3.513, P=0.061), clinical stage (χ2=1.310, P=0.519) or tumor size (χ2=0.629, P=0.428). The disease-free survival time [(38.43±3.86) months vs. (53.38±2.58) months] and the overall survival time [(42.00±3.11) months vs. (53.84±2.19) months] of ALDH1-positive patients were significantly shorter than those of ALDH1-negative patients, and the differences were statistically significant (χ2=8.490, P=0.004; χ2=11.270, P=0.001). The disease-free survival time [(42.81±3.32) months vs. (54.72±2.50) months] and the overall survival time [(44.74±2.68) months vs. (57.18±1.55) months] of TGF-β2 positive patients were significantly shorter than those of TGF-β2-negative patients, and the differences were statistically significant (χ2=4.300, P=0.038; χ2=8.900, P=0.003). The expression of ALDH1 protein was positively correlated with the expression of TGF-β2 protein (r=0.360, P=0.005).
ConclusionThe ALDH1 phenotype is an indepen-dent predictor of poor prognosis. The activation of TGF-β2 signaling pathway may be involved in the regulation of triple-negative breast cancer stem cells.
Key words:
Breast neoplasms; Neoplastic stem cells; Transforming growth factor beta 2; Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1
Contributor Information
Guo Chongyong
Department of Breast Surgery (Third Department of General Surgery), Binzhou People′s Hospital of Shandong Province, Binzhou 256600, China
Li Yongmei
Li Bocheng
Zhou Ling
Zhang Jian
Jia Zongshi
