RESUMO
Objective:To investigate the mRNA and protein expressions of steroid sulfatase (STS) in breast cancer tissues and normal breast tissues, and analyze its relationship with clinicopathologic characteristics. Methods:The mRNA and protein expressions of STS, in 40 cases of breast cancer tissues and corresponding paracancerous normal breast tissues, were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and immunohistochemistry. The correlation of STS expression level with clinicopathologic characteristics was analyzed. Results:STS protein was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of breast carcinoma cells and epithelial cells in normal breast glands, but not in the stroma. It could be detected in the nucleus of carcinoma cells in 3 cases of breast cancer tissues, which was pathologically classified as invasive ductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma, and invasive micropapillary carcinoma. STS was not observed in interstitial tissues of breast glands. STS protein expression had positive correlation with its mRNA expressing level. The positivity of STS was 70.0% in breast cancer tissues, significantly higher than that of normal breast tissues (42.5%). The difference was significant (P =0.013). Stratified analysis showed that the positive rates of STS protein were significantly higher in premenopausal patients, the patients with lymph node metastasis, and those with advanced breast carcinoma than those in the matched normal breast tissues (P<0.05). Conclusion:Breast cancer tissues highly expressed STS protein to stimulate local estrogen production, thereby enhancing the progression and migration of breast cancer cells. In addition, as the tumor growth, locally biosynthesized estrogens may play more and more important roles.
RESUMO
Objective: To investigate the correlation of thrombospondin-1(TSP-1) expression and angiogenesis and clinical pathologic factors in breast cancer. Methods:Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of TSP-1 mRNA in the primary breast cancer tissues and the tissues set apart 5 cm from the tumor. Im-munohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), c-erbB2, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and microvessel density (MVD). All data were statistically analyzed. Results: The positive rate of TSP-1 was significantly higher in breast cancer than that in tissues set apart 5 cm from tumor (P < 0.05). The expression of TSP-1 was positively correlated with tumor size only (P < 0.05). MVD was lower in TSP-1 positive group than that of negative group (P< 0.05). Conclusion: The MVD was decreased with up-regulation of TSP-1 expression. Thrombospondin-1 may repress the angiogenesis in breast cancer.