Immunohistochemical Analysis of Prostate Apoptosis Response-4 (Par-4) in Mexican Women with Breast Cancer: A Preliminary Study
Received 22 February 2010; accepted 13 May 2010.
Background and Aims
We undertook this study to compare the expression level of prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) among patient outcome in two groups of women with breast cancer (short and long survival) and two groups without breast cancer (benign lesion and control).
Methods
We included breast specimens with nonhistological abnormalities (eight samples) as a control group. Semiquantitative and quantitative analysis of immunohistochemical staining by image analysis software were used to study the intensity of Par-4 expression. Both methods produced similar results (p >0.05).
Results
No significant expression of Par-4 was observed in normal breast tissue. Benign lesions and breast cancer tissue showed strong nuclear expression of Par-4, predominantly on epithelial cells and specifically in ductal cells. Par-4 expression was lower in myoepithelial cells and there was no appreciable stromal staining. Significantly less Par-4 reactivity was detected in tissue from patients with a short survival compared with patients with benign lesions and those with a long survival.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that a lower expression level of Par-4 is related to an unfavorable prognosis. A larger prospective study of samples of all patient groups with a longer follow-up is needed to validate this finding.
aDivisión de Genética, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, Mexico
bDepartamento de Inmunología y Virología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Monterrey, Mexico
cServicio de Anatomía Patológica, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad No. 25, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey, Mexico
dFacultad de Enfermería and Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza, Monterrey, Mexico
Address reprint requests to: Martha Imelda Davila Rodriguez, División de Genética, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, IMSS, 2 de abril No. 501, Colonia Independencia, CP 64720, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. FAX: (01) (81) 8190-4035
ABSTRACT