Different Expression Of Metastasis Related Genes And Clinicopathological Significance Of Ezrin Protein Overexpression In Breast Cancer

Objectives:To investigate the different expression of metastasis related genes and clinicopathological significance of Ezrin protein overexpression in breast cancer.Materials and Methods:Total 140 cases of paraffin-embedded breast lesion blocks, including 87 cases of breast cancers,33 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 20 cases of normal breast tissues, were selected from Department of Pathology, Yanbian Tumor Hospital and The First Maternity and Infant health Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine. Gene differential expression (copy number) was detected by SNP gene chip for analyzing 20 species genes associated with cell metastasis in breast cancer. Additionally, Ezrin gene protein expression level was detected in normal breast tissues, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and breast cancer including with or without lymph node metastasis by using EnVision method of immunohistochemistry, and the clinicopathological significance of Ezrin protein overexpression in breast cancer was also analyzed.Results:SNP gene chip results showed that the copy number of Ezrin, BRCA, SDX4, P27, NEDD9, TSC2, TPM3, FLT4, and ST3 were up-regulated, while RORB, EPHB2, HGF, MYCL1, BRCA2, SHH, PTEN, ESR1, Twistl, NF2, and HDAC1 were down-regulated in breast cancers with lymph node metastasis compared with non-metastastatic breast cancers. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the positive and strongly positive rates of Ezrin protein were 100%(46/46) and 89.1%(43/46) in breast cancers with lymph node metastasis, respectively, and 73.2%(30/41) and 31.7%(13/41) in non-metastatic breast cancers, respectively. The difference was significant (P<0.05). Additionally, the positive rate of Ezrin protein was only 10%(2/20), and the positive signals were very weak in normal breast tissues adjacent to cancer, however, the positive rates of Ezrin protein were 87.4%(76/87) and 87.9%(29/33), and the strongly positive rate of Ezrin protein were 64.4%(56/87) and 60.6%(20/33) in breast cancer and DCIS tissues, respectively (P< 0.01). The positive signals mainly distributed at the cytoplasm adjacent to the normal gland lumen, however, Ezrin protein in the breast cancer cells showed diffusely positive staining pattern.Conclusions:Breast cancer metastasis was closely related with a variety of genes and proteins expression. In which, Ezrin gene played an important role in the metastasis and progression of breast cancer. The detection of Ezrin protein might be a useful marker for early diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. And Ezrin gene might be the new target for breast cancer therapy.