Heterogeneity of Mesenchymal Markers Expression—Molecular Profiles of Cancer Cells Disseminated by Lymphatic and Hematogenous Routes in Breast Cancer

Cancers

Aleksandra Markiewicz²  Magdalena Książkiewicz²  Barbara Seroczyńska³  Jarosᐪw Skokowski³  Jolanta Szade¹  Marzena Wełnicka-Jaśkiewicz⁴ 

[1] Department of Pathomorphology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-214 Poland; E-Mail:;Department of Medical Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdańsk and Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-211, Poland; E-Mails:;Bank of Frozen Tissues and Genetic Specimens, Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-211, Poland; E-Mails:;Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-211, Poland; E-Mail:

关键词: breast cancer;    lymph node metastasis;    circulating tumor cells;    metastasis;    cancer dissemination;    epithelial-mesenchymal transition;   

DOI  :  10.3390/cancers5041485

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Breast cancers can metastasize via hematogenous and lymphatic routes, however in some patients only one type of metastases are detected, suggesting a certain proclivity in metastatic patterns. Since epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in cancer dissemination it would be worthwhile to find if a specific profile of EMT gene expression exists that is related to either lymphatic or hematogenous dissemination. Our study aimed at evaluating gene expression profile of EMT-related markers in primary tumors (PT) and correlated them with the pattern of metastatic spread. From 99 early breast cancer patients peripheral blood samples (N = 99), matched PT (N = 47) and lymph node metastases (LNM; N = 22) were collected. Expression of TWIST1, SNAI1, SNAI2 and VIM was analyzed in those samples. Additionally expression of CK19, MGB1 and HER2 was measured in CTCs-enriched blood fractions (CTCs-EBF). Results were correlated with each other and with clinico-pathological data of the patients. Results show that the mesenchymal phenotype of CTCs-EBF correlated with poor clinico-pathological characteristics of the patients. Additionally, PT shared more similarities with LNM than with CTCs-EBF. Nevertheless, LNM showed increased expression of EMT-related markers than PT; and EMT itself in PT did not seem to be necessary for lymphatic dissemination.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.