Immunocytochemical assessment of sigma-1 receptor and human sterol isomerase in breast cancer and their relationship with a series of prognostic factors

• Published in: British journal of cancer Vol. 82; no. 12; pp. 1958 - 1966
• Main Authors: SIMONY-LAFONTAINE, J, ESSLIMANI, M, BRIBES, E, GOURGOU, S, LEQUEUX, N, LAVAIL, R, GRENIER, J, KRAMAR, A, CASELLAS, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing Group 01.06.2000
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer research; Cancer therapies; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cell growth; Chemotherapy; Endocrine therapy; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Mammary gland diseases; Mastectomy; Medical prognosis; Medical research; Medical sciences; Menopause; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Proteins; Receptors, sigma - metabolism; Regular; Sigma-1 Receptor; Steroid Isomerases; Steroids; Sterols; Tumors; France; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Carcinoma; Prognosis; Enzyme; Tumoral marker; Malignant tumor; Gene expression; Pathology; Mammary gland diseases; Binding protein; TP53 Gene; Isomerases; Mammary gland; Sex steroid hormone; Apoptosis; Tumor suppressor gene; Biological receptor; Sterol
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1054/bjoc.2000.1162

The purpose of this study was to immunocytochemically investigate two new markers, the sigma-1 receptor and the human sterol isomerase (hSI), in comparison with a series of clinicopathological and immunocytochemical prognostic factors in a trial including 95 patients with operable primary breast cancers. Our results showed no statistically significant relationship between these two markers and the age of the patients, their menopausal status, the tumour size and its histological grade, the nodal status and the expression of the Ki-67 proliferative marker. However, we evidenced a close correlation between the sigma-1 receptor expression and the hormonal receptor positivity (P = 0.008), essentially due to a link with the progesterone receptor status (P = 0.01). By contrast there was an inverse relationship between hSI expression and the oestrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor positivity (P = 0.098). A significant relationship was shown between both the sigma-1 receptor, hSI expressions and Bcl2 expression, with P= 0.017 and 0.035 respectively. We also assessed whether the expression of the sigma-1 receptor or hSI might be linked with disease-free survival (DFS) and found that the presence of hSI and the absence of sigma-1 receptor expression were associated with a poorer disease-free survival (P= 0.007). Altogether these results suggest that in primary breast carcinomas in association with the evaluation of the steroid receptor status, the sigma-1 receptor and hSI may be interesting new markers useful to identify those patients who might be able to benefit from an adjuvant therapy.