Role of Fos-related antigen 1 in the progression and prognosis of ductal breast carcinoma

Author(s)

Logullo, Angela Flavia ^[1] ; Agata Stiepcich, Monica Maria ^[2] ; Bueno de Toledo Osorio, Cintia Aparecida ^{[1, 2]} ; Nonogaki, Sueli ^[3] ; Pasini, Fatima Solange ^[4] ; Rocha, Rafael Malagoli ^[2] ; Soares, Fernando Augusto ^[2] ; Brentani, Maria M. ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Patol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Hosp AC Camargo Fund Antonio Prudente, Dept Patol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Patol, Inst Adolfo Lutz, BR-09500900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Radiol & Oncol, Disciplina Oncol LIM24, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Histopathology; v. 58, n. 4, p. 617-625, MAR 2011.
• Web of Science Citations: 12

Abstract

Aims: Fos-related antigen 1 (Fra-1) is a member of the activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factor family. Our objective was to evaluate the role of Fra-1 expression in breast carcinoma progression and prognosis. Methods and results: Fra-1 expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry in two tissue microarrays containing, respectively, 85 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 771 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) samples. Staining was observed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of the carcinomas, but only nuclear staining was considered to be positive. Fibroblasts associated with IDC were also Fra-1-positive. The frequency of Fra-1 positivity in IDC (22.8%) was lower than that in DCIS (42.2%). No association was found between Fra-1 and clinico-pathological variables in DCIS. In IDC, Fra-1 expression correlated with aggressive phenotype markers, including: high grade, oestrogen receptor negativity and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) positivity (P = 0.001, 0.015 and 0.004, respectively), and marginally with the presence of metastasis (P = 0.07). Fra-1 was more frequently positive in basal-like (34%) and in HER-2-positive (38.5%) subtypes than in luminal subtypes. Fra-1 presence did not correlate with survival. Conclusions: A high frequency of Fra-1 in DCIS tumours may be associated with early events in breast carcinogenesis. Although Fra-1 expression correlated with features of a more aggressive phenotype in IDC, no relationship with overall survival was found. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 04/04607-8 - Heterotypic signaling between epithelial tumor cells and fibroblasts in carcinoma of the breast
• Grantee: Maria Mitzi Brentani
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants