Objective: To investigate the Skp2 and p27 Kip1 expressions in breast cancer tissue and the significance.
Methods: The Skp2 and p27Kip1 expressions in normal breast tissues, atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) tissue and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) tissue were determined by immunohistochemical staining. The relations of their expressions with lymph node metastasis and histologic grade of breast cancer were also analyzed.
Results: The Skp2 positive expression rate was increased in ascending order in normal breast tissue, ADH tissue and IDC tissue, which was significantly higher in IDC tissue with axillary lymph node metastasis than that in IDC tissue without axillary lymph node metastasis, while the opposite was true for p27Kip1 positive expression rate (all P<0.05). Both Skp2 and p27Kip1 positive expression rates were significantly different among IDC tissues with different histologic grades (both P<0.05), moreover, Skp2 positive expression had a positive correlation with histologic grade of IDC (r=0.492, P<0.05), while p27Kip1 positive expression had a negative correlation with histologic grade of IDC (r=–0.327, P<0.05).
Conclusion: Skp2 expression is up-regulated and p27Kip1 expression is down-regulated in breast cancer tissue, and their changing degrees are closely related to the malignant biological behaviors of breast cancer.