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Estrogen receptor β2 is inversely correlated with Ki-67 in hyperplastic and noninvasive neoplastic breast lesions

  • Original Article – Clinical Oncology
  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to compare expression levels of ΕRα, ERβ1, ERβ2 and cell proliferation marker Ki-67 in normal breast and hyperplastic and noninvasive neoplastic breast lesions.

Materials and methods

Routinely processed breast tissue from 55 patients provided 65 cases of noninvasive lesions, namely, epithelial hyperplasia of usual type (HUT), apocrine metaplasia (AM), atypical hyperplasia (AH) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 14 cases of adjacent normal breast tissue. Expression of ERα, ERβ1 and ERβ2 were evaluated using immunohistochemistry and correlated with Ki-67 labeling index (Ki-67 LI) and menopausal status of the patients.

Results

Compared with normal breast, ERα expression increased in low to intermediate-grade DCIS (DCIS1/2) and tended to decrease in high-grade DCIS, while ERβ1 expression decreased in DCIS irrespective of grade. Mean Ki-67 LI in HUT, low to intermediate-grade DCIS and high-grade DCIS was higher than in normal breast. Higher than normal Ki-67 LI correlated with low ERβ2 expression in the whole set of cases and with high ERα expression and low ERβ2 expression in the postmenopausal cases of the subset that is generated by excluding AM and high-grade DCIS. Postmenopausal status correlated with low ERβ1 expression in the whole set and with higher than normal Ki-67 LI, high ERα expression and low ERβ1 expression in the subset.

Conclusions

These findings are in accordance with an ERα-opposing oncosuppressive role of ERβ2 in mammary carcinogenesis along the HUT-AH-DCIS1/2 pathway.

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Abbreviations

ERα:

Estrogen receptor α

ERβ:

Estrogen receptor β

ERβ1:

Estrogen receptor β1

ERβ2:

Estrogen receptor β2

HUT:

Hyperplasia of usual type

AM:

Apocrine metaplasia

AH:

Atypical hyperplasia

DCIS:

Ductal carcinoma in situ

DCIS1/2:

Low to intermediate-grade DCIS

DCIS3:

High-grade DCIS

IHC:

Immunohistochemistry

Κi-67 LI:

Ki-67 labeling index

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by EU Social Fund and Greek national funds through the Operational Program ‘Education and Lifelong Learning’ (Projects THALES 85355) and the NSRF Program (Project 03ED644).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 M. Asias str, Goudi, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Νiki Ι. Chantzi, Marina Palaiologou & Dina G. Tiniakos

  2. Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48, Vassileos Constantinou Av, 11635, Athens, Greece

    Νiki Ι. Chantzi, Eugen Dhimolea, Dimitra J. Mitsiou & Μichael N. Alexis

  3. Histopathology Department, “Helena Venizelou” General and Maternity District Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Artemis Stylianidou

  4. Department of Pathology, Evgenidio Infirmary, Athens, Greece

    Nikos Goutas

  5. “Prolipsis” Diagnostic Center, Athens, Greece

    Stamatis Vassilaros

  6. Department of Pathology, Medical School, University of Patras, Patras, Greece

    Helen P. Kourea

  7. Institute of Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Dina G. Tiniakos

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  1. Νiki Ι. Chantzi
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  2. Marina Palaiologou
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  3. Artemis Stylianidou
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  5. Stamatis Vassilaros
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  7. Eugen Dhimolea
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  8. Dimitra J. Mitsiou
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  9. Dina G. Tiniakos
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  10. Μichael N. Alexis
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Correspondence to Dina G. Tiniakos or Μichael N. Alexis.

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Chantzi, Ν.Ι., Palaiologou, M., Stylianidou, A. et al. Estrogen receptor β2 is inversely correlated with Ki-67 in hyperplastic and noninvasive neoplastic breast lesions. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 140, 1057–1066 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-014-1652-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-014-1652-0

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