Expression and clinical lmplications of Sox17,β- catenin and Cyclin D1 in breast cancer

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of Sox17,β- catenin and Cyclin D1 in invasive breast cancer and benign breast disease. Methods Using immunohistochemical streptavidin avidin- peroxidase(SP)method, the expression of Sox17,β- catenin and Cyclin D1 was detected in 92 invasive breast cancer and 60 benign breast disease tissues.The correlations between Sox17,β- catenin and Cyclin D1 expression and corresponding clinicopathologic features were analyzed. Results The positive expression rates of Sox17, Cyclin D1 andβ- catenin was 38.0%(35/92), 70.7%(65/92)and 68.5%(63/92)in breast cancer tissues, which was significant different from 75.0% (45/60), 35.0%(21/60)and 26.7%(16/60)in benign breast tissues respectively(P< 0.01).Correlation analysis showed that Sox17 protein expression was negatively correlated with the abnormal expression ofβ- catenin and Cyclin D1(r=- 0.675, P< 0.01 and r=- 0.673, P< 0.01), while the abnormal expression ofβ- catenin protein was positively correlated with the expression of Cyclin D1(r= 0.693, P< 0.01).In clinically, negative expression of Sox17 protein was significantly correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and higher tumor grade(P<0.01); the abnormal expression ofβ- catenin and Cyclin D1 were significantly correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, ER and PR receptors positive(P< 0.05). Conclusion The negative expression of Sox17 and the abnormal expression of β- catenin and Cyclin D1 are closely related in breast cancer,and they may be linked to various known clinicopathological features in breast cancer,suggesting that they may play an important role in the development and progression of breast cancer. Key words: Breast cancer; Sox17; β- catenin; Cyclin D1