Lineage infidelity and expression of melanocytic markers in human breast cancer

  • Authors:
    • Beatrice E. Bachmeier
    • Andreas G. Nerlich
    • Valentina Mirisola
    • Marianne Jochum
    • Ulrich Pfeffer
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: November 1, 2008     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000089
  • Pages: 1011-1015
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

In previous analyses, dual expression of melanocytic and epithelial molecular markers have been described as indicators of lineage infidelity for breast cancer cells that lose their epithelial identity. Here we demonstrated that this is a much more frequent phenomenon in human breast carcinomas, usually affecting only a part of the tumor. Accordingly we detected, in 18 out of 100 breast carcinomas, immunohistochemically focally positive cells for the melanocytic marker Melan A. The presence and extent of Melan A expression was statistically significantly associated with a reduction in tumor cell differentiation, but not tumor type, size, lymph node metastasis, hormone receptor status or Her-2-neu expression. Microarrays of a further 159 breast cancers showed, in several samples, variably low expression levels of Melan A (and other melanocytic markers) that are consistent with focal expression in many tumors. One case strongly overexpressed Melan A. The transition from an epithelial to a melanocytic phenotype (lineage infidelity) appears to occur much more frequently than previously assumed and occurs in restricted areas of breast cancer during tumor progression, a possible association with a reduction in tumor cell differentiation.

Related Articles

Journal Cover

November 2008
Volume 33 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Bachmeier BE, Nerlich AG, Mirisola V, Jochum M and Pfeffer U: Lineage infidelity and expression of melanocytic markers in human breast cancer. Int J Oncol 33: 1011-1015, 2008
APA
Bachmeier, B.E., Nerlich, A.G., Mirisola, V., Jochum, M., & Pfeffer, U. (2008). Lineage infidelity and expression of melanocytic markers in human breast cancer. International Journal of Oncology, 33, 1011-1015. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000089
MLA
Bachmeier, B. E., Nerlich, A. G., Mirisola, V., Jochum, M., Pfeffer, U."Lineage infidelity and expression of melanocytic markers in human breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 33.5 (2008): 1011-1015.
Chicago
Bachmeier, B. E., Nerlich, A. G., Mirisola, V., Jochum, M., Pfeffer, U."Lineage infidelity and expression of melanocytic markers in human breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 33, no. 5 (2008): 1011-1015. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000089