T-cell immunoglobulin mucin‑3 expression in invasive ductal breast carcinoma: Clinicopathological correlations and association with tumor infiltration by cytotoxic lymphocytes

Zhang,Huan; Xiang,Rong; Wu,Bin; Li,Jinlong; Luo,Guilin

doi:10.3892/mco.2017.1360

T-cell immunoglobulin mucin‑3 expression in invasive ductal breast carcinoma: Clinicopathological correlations and association with tumor infiltration by cytotoxic lymphocytes

Authors:
- Huan Zhang
- Rong Xiang
- Bin Wu
- Jinlong Li
- Guilin Luo
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Affiliations: Department of General Surgery, The Fourth People's Hospital of Sichuan, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P.R. China, Department of Medicine, Nan Kai University, Tianjin 300071, P.R. China, Department of Breast Surgery, Southwest Medical University Affiliated Hospital, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, P.R. China
Published online on: August 3, 2017 https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2017.1360
Pages: 557-563
Copyright: © Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

As a negative regulatory molecule, T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-3 (Tim-3) is closely associated with tumor immunological tolerance. The aim of this study was to investigate Tim‑3 expression in invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC), its effect on clinicopathological parameters and its association with cytotoxic lymphocyte infiltration. Tim‑3 protein expression was measured in 150 paraffin‑embedded IDC specimens and 100 paired normal breast tissue specimens by immunohistochemistry. It was demonstrated that the infiltration of the tumor by CD8+ T cells was significantly higher compared with that of normal tissue, and the Tim‑3 expression on CD8+ T cells was higher in IDC tissue compared with that in normal tissue; the differences were statistically significant (both P‑values=0.000). The median expression level of Tim‑3 on tumor cells was significantly associated with clinicopathological parameters such as age, axillary lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (P=0.015, 0.001 and 0.027, respectively). The expression of Tim‑3 on CD8+ T cells was correlated with lymph node metastasis, World Health Organization (WHO) grade and molecular classification (P=0.000, 0.004 and 0.000, respectively). Additionally, the number of tumor‑infiltrating CD8+ T cells was associated with primary tumor size, lymph node metastasis, WHO grade, Ki‑67 and molecular classification (P=0.017, 0.002, 0.007, 0.003 and 0.000, respectively). Thus, Tim‑3 may promote the development and progression of breast cancer and affect the tumor microenvironment; thus, it may be used as an independent prognostic factor for IDC patients.

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