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Cellular Oncology
Published in: Cellular Oncology 6/2013

01-12-2013 | Original Paper

Impact of SOX18 expression in cancer cells and vessels on the outcome of invasive ductal breast carcinoma

Authors: Bartosz Pula, Mateusz Olbromski, Andrzej Wojnar, Agnieszka Gomulkiewicz, Wojciech Witkiewicz, Maciej Ugorski, Piotr Dziegiel, Marzena Podhorska-Okolow

Published in: Cellular Oncology | Issue 6/2013

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Abstract

Purpose

SOX18 is a transcription factor known to be involved in hair follicle, blood and lymphatic vessel development, as well as wound healing processes (together with SOX7 and SOX17). In addition, it has been reported that SOX18 may affect the growth of cancer cells in vitro. Until now, the exact role of SOX18 expression in invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDC) has remained unknown.

Methods

In this study, we have investigated SOX18 expression in cancer cells and endothelial cells in 122 IDC samples using immunohistochemistry (IHC). SOX18 expression was also determined using real-time PCR and Western blotting in a series of breast cancer-derived cell lines (i.e., MCF-7, BT-474, SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231, BO2).

Results

Using IHC, we observed SOX18 nuclear expression in cancer cells, as well as in blood and lymphatic vessels of the IDC samples tested. SOX18 expression in the IDC samples correlated with a higher malignancy grade (Grade 2 and Grade 3 versus Grade 1; p = 0.02 and p = 0.009, respectively) and VEGF-D expression (r = 0.27, p = 0.007). SOX18 expression was also associated with HER2 positivity (p = 0.02). A significantly higher SOX18 expression was found in the HER2-positive cell line BT-474, and a significantly lower expression in the triple negative cell lines MDA-MB-231 and BO2. Laser capture microdissection of IDC samples revealed significantly higher mRNA SOX7, SOX17 and SOX18 expression levels in the vessels as compared to the cancer cells (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0002, p < 0.0001, respectively). SOX18 positive intratumoral and peritumoral microvessel counts (MVC) were associated with higher malignancy grades (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). Moreover, peritumoral SOX18 positive MVC were found to act as an independent marker for a poor prognosis (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

SOX18 expression may serve as a marker for a poor prognosis in IDC.
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Metadata
Title
Impact of SOX18 expression in cancer cells and vessels on the outcome of invasive ductal breast carcinoma
Authors
Bartosz Pula
Mateusz Olbromski
Andrzej Wojnar
Agnieszka Gomulkiewicz
Wojciech Witkiewicz
Maciej Ugorski
Piotr Dziegiel
Marzena Podhorska-Okolow
Publication date
01-12-2013
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Cellular Oncology / Issue 6/2013
Print ISSN: 2211-3428
Electronic ISSN: 2211-3436
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-013-0151-7

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