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Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer

  • Authors:
    • Raghad Hanoon Zamil
    • Hiba Ahmed Gaidan
    • Hajir Saad Sulaiman
  • View Affiliations / Copyright

    Affiliations: Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, 79V2+CGC, Baghdad, Iraq
    Copyright: © Zamil et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY 4.0].
  • Article Number: 68
    |
    Published online on: May 25, 2026
       https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2026.483
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Abstract

Breast cancer is associated with a considerable amount of distress among women and with a risk of mortality worldwide; it is a major cause of cancer‑related mortality among women. Cancer stem cells play crucial roles in cancer initiation, maintenance, behavior and response to therapy. The main aim of the present study was to assess the immunohistochemical expression of CD133 and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) as stem cells markers in breast invasive (ductal) carcinoma and to evaluate the significance of this expression in association with key clinicopathological parameters. For this purpose, a retrospective study was carried out on 52 cases of breast invasive ductal carcinoma of an archived random sample of patients. Immunostaining for CD133 and ALDH1 was performed on these samples, and the results were used to evaluate the association with the age, tumor grade and stage, as well as the hormonal receptor state [estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu] of the patients. The results revealed that CD133 expression was elevated in relation to the less differentiated tumors and an advanced stage; in addition, CD133 expression was markedly elevated in relation to cases with a negative ER/PR and a positive HER2 hormonal status. While ALDH1 expression was associated with an advanced tumor stage, there was no significant association with tumor grade. ALDH‑1 expression was significantly associated with the ER/PR positive status and was not associated with HER2/neu expression. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that the expression levels of CD133 and ALDH1 are associated with an advanced clinical stage. In addition, the significant expression of CD133 in an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that lacks ER and PR hormone receptors but overexpresses HER2 protein may explain the resistance to treatment and the recurrence of this subtype of tumor. These findings may aid in the development of effective targeted therapy.
View Figures

Figure 1

Microphotographs of invasive ductal
carcinoma of breast cancer illustrating: (A) Positive
immunohistochemical expression of CD133 with strong intensity
(brownish discoloration of the cytoplasm with membranous expression
(magnification, x10); (B) negative immunohistochemical expression
of CD133 (magnification, x10); (C) positive immunohistochemical
expression of ALDH1A1 with strong intensity (brownish discoloration
of the cytoplasm with membranous expression (magnification, x10);
and (D) negative immunohistochemical expression of ALDH1A1
(magnification, x10).
View References

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
Spandidos Publications style
Zamil RH, Gaidan HA and Sulaiman HS: Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer. World Acad Sci J 8: 68, 2026.
APA
Zamil, R.H., Gaidan, H.A., & Sulaiman, H.S. (2026). Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer. World Academy of Sciences Journal, 8, 68. https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2026.483
MLA
Zamil, R. H., Gaidan, H. A., Sulaiman, H. S."Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer". World Academy of Sciences Journal 8.4 (2026): 68.
Chicago
Zamil, R. H., Gaidan, H. A., Sulaiman, H. S."Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer". World Academy of Sciences Journal 8, no. 4 (2026): 68. https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2026.483
Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Zamil RH, Gaidan HA and Sulaiman HS: Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer. World Acad Sci J 8: 68, 2026.
APA
Zamil, R.H., Gaidan, H.A., & Sulaiman, H.S. (2026). Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer. World Academy of Sciences Journal, 8, 68. https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2026.483
MLA
Zamil, R. H., Gaidan, H. A., Sulaiman, H. S."Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer". World Academy of Sciences Journal 8.4 (2026): 68.
Chicago
Zamil, R. H., Gaidan, H. A., Sulaiman, H. S."Expression of CD133 and ALDH 1 proteins as cancer stem cells markers in a random sample of patients with breast cancer". World Academy of Sciences Journal 8, no. 4 (2026): 68. https://doi.org/10.3892/wasj.2026.483
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