Open AccessCo-Expression of Plexin-B1 and Met in Human Breast and Ovary Tumours Enhances the Risk of Progression
Author(s) -
Guido Valente,
Giuseppiicotra,
Marisa Arrondini,
Roberta Castino,
Lorena Capparuccia,
María Prat,
Simonetta Kerim,
Luca Tamag,
Ciro Isidoro
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
analytical cellular pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.576
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 2210-7185
pISSN - 2210-7177
DOI - 10.1155/2009/151392
Subject(s) - immunohistochemistry , medicine , lymph node , metastasis , grading (engineering) , cancer research , breast cancer , angiogenesis , tyrosine kinase , pathology , oncology , biology , cancer , receptor , ecology
Background : Plex-B1, the receptor of Sema4D, has been implicated in tumour growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. The binding of Sema4D to Plex-B1 can trigger the activation of Met tyrosine kinase, thereby promoting cell dissociation and invasive growth. We tested the hypothesis that the expression of Plex-B1, either alone or in association with Met, can be of predictive value for tumour progression. Methods : The expression and distribution of Plex-B1 and Met were investigated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence in 50 human neoplasias originating in the breast and ovary, and correlated with clinical–pathological data at diagnosis. Results : Plex-B1 and Met were individually expressed in 14% and in 24% of the tumours, respectively. Plex-B1 and Met were co-expressed in 24/50 cases (48%), and in the majority of these (83%) Met was tyrosine phosphorylated. The expression of Plex-B1 or Met alone showed no significant correlation with tumour aggressiveness, whereas advanced stage tumours (III–IV) frequently showed Plex-B1–Met double-positive (9/13). Tumours co-expressing Plex-B1 and Met were characterised by worse grading and higher incidence of lymph node metastases. Out of 22 tumours with lymph node metastases, as many as 19 were Plex-B1 and Met double-positive ( p =0.0008), and 17 expressed phosphorylated Met ( p =0.002). Conclusions : Plex-B1 assumes a predictive value for unfavourable outcome when co-expressed with Met.