Detection and characterisation of disseminated tumour cells in bone marrow of breast cancer patients by immunostaining of Her-2 and MUC-1 in combination with Thomsen-Friedenreich (CD176)
U. Andergassen1, A.C. Kölbl1, M. Zebisch1, S. Heublein1, S. Hutter1, M. Ilmer3, C. Schindlbeck2, K. Friese1 and U. Jeschke1
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany - Campus Innenstadt, München, Germany, 2Frauenklinik - Klinikum Traunstein, Traunstein, Germany and 3Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
Offprint requests to: Prof. Dr. U. Jeschke, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maistrasse 11, D-80337 Munich, Germany. e-mail: Udo.Jeschke@med.uni-muenchen.de
Summary. Disseminated tumour cells (DTCs) in the bone marrow derive from many primary tumours, such as breast cancer. Their mere existence hints to present or future metastasis and implicates a worse prognosis for the patient. DTCs may possess different characteristics in comparison to the primary tumour due to events like Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition. Therefore these cells might be able to survive chemotherapy and cause relapses of the disease at a later point. We aimed to detect and further characterise DTCs by an immunostaining approach with three different antigen markers (Her-2, MUC-1 and TF, also known as CD176). For that reason, bone marrow of 41 breast cancer patients was obtained during surgery; DTCs were enriched by density gradient centrifugation and cytospins were prepared. After fixation, immuno-fluorescent double-stainings were carried out with antibodies against CD176 in combination with HER-2 or MUC-1. Cells co-expressing two antigens were found in all staining combinations (Her-2 and CD176: 46.14%; MUC-1 and CD176: 18.15% of all cases). Cells that stained for a single antigen only were also found (Her-2: 36.86%; MUC-1: 34.45%; CD176: 29.65% of all cases). Significant correlations between the stainings of all markers could be shown (p<0,001). In conclusion, Thomsen-Friedenreich Antigen (TF, CD176) is a promising marker in combination with the established marker Her-2 and other markers like MUC-1. These results may serve as a basis for future DTC detection routines and help to individualize medical treatment, reducing side effects and increasing the efficiency of the therapy. Histol Histopathol 29, 913-923 (2014)
Key words: Imunostaining, Bone marrow, DTCs, Thomsen-Friedenreich-antigen
DOI: 10.14670/HH-29.913