上皮细胞黏附分子、波形蛋白和N-钙黏素在乳腺癌#br# 分子亚型中的表达及相关性

目的：研究上皮细胞黏附分子(epithelial cell adhesion molecule，EpCAM)、波形蛋白(vimentin)、N-钙黏素(N-cadherin)在乳腺癌及其分子亚型中的表达及相关性。方法：通过免疫组织化学方法检测835例乳腺癌组织中EpCAM，vimentin和N-cadherin的表达情况，分析其与乳腺癌临床病理特征的相关性。结果： EpCAM，vimentin及N-cadherin在835例乳腺癌中的表达率分别为53.4%，11.4%和9.7%；其阳性率随着肿瘤体积增大、组织学级别升高、淋巴结阳性、TNM分期增高、雌激素受体和孕激素受体阴性而增高(均P<0.05)。在腺腔A型、腺腔B型(HER2–)、腺腔B型(HER2+)、HER2过表达型及三阴型中，EpCAM的阳性表达率分别为19.2%，73.0%，48.9%，72.2%和62.1%；vimentin为3.9%，11.4%，14.1%，11.1%和20.5%；N-cadherin为7.0%，5.7%，12.0%，12.2%和17.4%，差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。在835例乳腺癌及三阴型乳腺癌中EpCAM表达与vimentin和N-cadherin均呈正相关性。 结论：EpCAM在三阴型乳腺癌中呈高表达，并与上皮间质转化标志物相关，可能参与该型乳腺癌的发展、转移过程。

Expressions of epithelial cell adhesion molecule,vimentin and N-cadherin in molecular subtypes of breast cancer and the correlation among them

Objective: To examine the expressions of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), vimentin and N-cadherin in breast cancer and its molecular subtypes, and to explore the correlation among them. Methods: The expressions of EpCAM, vimentin and N-cadherin were detected by immunohistochemistry in 835 patients with breast cancer, and their correlations with clinical pathological features and prognosis were analyzed. Results: The expression rates of EpCAM, vimentin and N-cadherin in the patients were 53.4%, 11.4% and 9.7% respectively, which were increased with the increase in tumor size, histological grade, lymph node size, tumor node stage of metastases classification, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor levels (all P<0.05). The positive expression rates for EpCAM protein in luminal A, luminal B (HER2–), luminal B (HER2+), HER2 overexpression and triple-negative subtypes were 19.2%, 73.0%, 48.9%, 72.2%, and 62.1% respectively; for vimentin were 3.9%, 11.4%, 14.1%, 11.1%, and 20.5% respectively; for N-cadherin were 7.0%, 5.7%, 12.0%, 12.2% and 17.4% respectively, with statistical difference (all P<0.05). EpCAM expression was positively correlated with vimentin and N-cadherin in patients with breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. Conclusion: EpCAM is overexpressed in triple-negative subtype of breast cancer and it is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers, which might be related to breast cancer progression and metastasis.