Clinicopathologic correlation of beclin-1 and bcl-2 expression in human breast cancer

• Published in: Human pathology Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 107 - 112
• Main Authors: Won, Kyu Yeoun, Kim, Gou Young, Kim, Youn Wha, Song, Jeong Yoon, Lim, Sung-Jig
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins - metabolism; Bcl-2; Beclin-1; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - mortality; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - metabolism; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - mortality; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - secondary; Cell Nucleus - pathology; Female; Genes; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Mammary gland diseases; Mammary Glands, Human - metabolism; Medical sciences; Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Middle Aged; Mitosis; Pathology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; Receptors, Estrogen - metabolism; Survival Rate; Tissue Array Analysis; Tumors; Young Adult; Beclin-1; Bcl-2; Breast cancer; Histological grading; Human; Estrogen receptor; Breast disease; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; Gene expression; Mammary gland diseases; Anatomic pathology; Histopathology; C-Onc gene; Genetics; Protooncogene; Cancer; Tumor suppressor gene; Hormonal receptor
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2009.07.006

Summary The human beclin-1 gene, located on chromosome 17q21, has been identified as the mammalian orthologue of Atg6 (autophagy-related gene) and may be a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor gene. The function and expression of beclin-1 in human breast cancer are largely unknown. We investigated the expression of beclin-1 and bcl-2 in human breast cancer. Tissue samples from 125 cases of invasive breast cancer were used for the present study. Immunohistochemical staining for beclin-1 and bcl-2 was evaluated using tissue microarray, then the 2 proteins were correlated with clinicopathologic parameters. Positive beclin-1 expression and bcl-2 expression in breast cancer tissue were observed in 53 cases (42.4%) and 48 cases (38.4%), respectively. Beclin-1 expression was inversely correlated with bcl-2 expression in breast cancer tissue ( P = .035). Beclin-1 expression significantly correlated with nuclear pleomorphism and mitotic count. Bcl-2 expression in breast cancer tissue significantly correlated with histologic grade, tubule formation, nuclear pleomorphism, mitotic count, estrogen receptor, and distant metastasis. Our results suggest that beclin-1 might play a role in the inhibition of the development of breast cancer and that inhibition might be due to an interaction with bcl-2 protein.