Id-1 overexpression in invasive ductal carcinoma cells is significantly associated with intratumoral microvessel density in ER-negative/node-positive breast cancer.

The aim of this study is to investigate the possible role of inhibitor of DNA binding (Id-1) overexpression in human breast cancer. We examined Id-1 expression by immunohistochemistry in 263 human breast cancers, 15 in situ lesions and 248 invasive cancers to investigate the relationship between its expression and various clinicopathological factors. Id-1 expression was significantly higher in invasive ductal carcinoma than in in situ ductal carcinoma or other invasive cancer subtypes (P=0.029 and 0.006, respectively). We also examined the association between Id-1 expression and tumor angiogenesis by measuring microvessel densities (MVD). Regarding the endothelial cells of microvessels showed negative or very weak Id-1 expression, Id-1 overexpression was found to be significantly related to MVD (P=0.014). Furthermore, Id-1 overexpression was found to be significantly associated with higher MVD in the ER-negative and node-involved subgroups of breast cancer (P=0.040 and 0.046, respectively). These data indicate that Id-1 overexpression is significantly associated with tumor angiogenesis, especially in the ER-negative and node-positive subtypes of invasive breast cancer. Thus, Id-1 presents a possible therapeutic antitumor target molecule in ER-negative and node-positive breast cancer.

Prognostic significance of angiogenesis evaluated by CD105 expression compared to CD31 in 905 breast carcinomas: correlation with long-term patient outcome.

Our purpose was to determine the respective prognostic significance of CD105 and CD31 immunoexpression in node negative patients with breast carcinoma, since angiogenesis induces blood borne metastases and death in carcinomas. CD105 (endoglin) has been reported as expressed by activated endothelial cells and consequently should better reflect neoangiogenesis in malignant tumors. Comparison of CD31 and CD105 immunocytochemical expression was undertaken in a series of 905 breast carcinomas. Results were compared to patients' long-term (median = 11.3 years) outcome. Univariate (Kaplan-Meier) analysis showed that the number of CD105+ microvessels (cut-off 15 vessels) correlated significantly with poor overall survival (p=0.001). This correlation was less significant in node negative patients (p=0.035). The number of CD31+ microvessels (cut-off 25 vessels) similarly correlated with poor survival (p=0.032) but not in the subgroup of node negative patients. Marked CD105 expression also correlated with a high risk for metastasis in all patients (p=0.0002) and in the subset of node negative patients (p=0.001). Similarly metastasis risk in node negative patients correlated with marked CD31 immunocytochemical expression (p=0.02). Multivariate analysis (Cox model) identified CD105, but not CD31 immunoexpression, as an independent prognostic indicator. Our results suggest that: i) in breast carcinomas, immunoselection of microvessels containing activated CD105 labelled endothelial cells is endowed with a stronger prognostic significance, as compared to CD31 vessels labelling; ii) the CD105 immunoexpression may be considered as a potential tool for selecting node negative patients with a poorer outcome and higher metastasis risk; iii) in these patients specific antiangiogenic therapy targeted by anti-CD105 conjugates can be further developed.