FOXP3在乳腺癌中的表达及临床意义

Expression of FOXP3 protein in breast carcinoma and its clinicopathologic significance

目的研究FOXP3+淋巴细胞和FOXP3蛋白在人乳腺癌细胞中的表达及其与患者临床病理特征的关系。方法采用组织芯片平台,应用免疫组织化学方法检测92例浸润性乳腺癌和26例癌旁乳腺组织中FOXP3+淋巴细胞和FOXP3蛋白的表达。结果乳腺癌间质浸润的FOXP3+淋巴细胞阳性率高于癌旁组织(32.7%vs7.7%,P<0.01);乳腺癌实质FOXP3蛋白阳性率也高于癌旁组织(52.2%vs7.7%,P<0.01);乳腺癌间质浸润的FOXP3+淋巴细胞数和癌实质FOXP3蛋白表达无相关性(P>0.05);乳腺癌间质浸润的FOXP3+淋巴细胞与淋巴结转移、组织学分级、pTNM分期和c-erbB-2过表达呈正相关;乳腺癌实质FOXP3蛋白表达与淋巴结转移呈正相关(P<0.05);乳腺癌间质浸润的FOXP3+淋巴细胞和乳腺癌实质FOXP3蛋白表达与乳腺癌的预后无关(P>0.05)。结论FOXP3+淋巴细胞可能在乳腺癌的免疫逃逸中发挥一定作用;FOXP3表达异常可能与乳腺癌的转移关系密切;FOXP3可作为评估乳腺癌生物学行为的一种潜在标记物。

Purpose To investigate the expression of FOXP3 protein in breast carcinoma ceils and FOXP3-positive lymphocytes infiltration, and to analyze their relations to clinicopathologic features of the breast cancer. Methods The expression of FOXP3 protein in breast cancer cells and FOXP3-positive lymphocytes infiltration was detected by immunohistochemistry in 92 cases of breast carcinoma and 26 cases of tissues adjacent to carcinoma by using tissue microarray. Results The positive rate of FOXP3-positive lymphocytes in breast cancer mesenchyma was significantly higher than that in tissues adjacent to carcinoma （32. 7% vs 7. 7% ,P 〈 0. 01 ）. The positive rate of FOXP3 protein in breast cancer parenchyma was significantly higher than that in tissues adjacent to carcinoma（52. 2% vs 7.7% ,P 〈0. 01 ）. There were no correlation between the expression of FOXP3 protein in breast cancer parenchyma and FOXP3-positive lymphocytes infiltrating in the breast cancer mesenchyma（P 〉0. 05 ）. FOXP3-positive lymphocytes infiltrating in the breast cancer mesenchyma were positively correlated to lymph node metastasis, histological grading, pTNM staging and c-erbB-2 overexpression. The expression of FOXP3 protein in breast cancer parenchyma was positively correlated to lymph node metastasis （P 〈 0. 01 ）. There were no correlation between the outcome of breast cancer and the expression of FOXP3 protein in breast cancer parenchyma, FOXP3-positive lymphocytes infiltrating in the breast cancer mesenchyma （ P 〉0. 05 ）. Conclusions FOXP3-positive lymphocytes may play a role in immune escape of breast carcinoma. The altered expression of FOXP3 may be closely related to metastasis of breast cancer. FOXP3 may be a potential marker for evaluating biological behavior of breast cancer.