Stromal CD10 expression and relationship to the E-cadherin/β-catenin complex in breast carcinoma

Aims: Previous investigations have indicated that stromal CD10 expression, and altered levels of both E-cadherin and β-catenin, are associated with the biological aggressiveness of human carcinoma. The aim was to evaluate stromal CD10 expression and the association of stromal CD10 with E-cadherin and β-catenin in breast carcinoma. Methods and results: The expression of CD10, E-cadherin and β-catenin was immunohistochemically analysed in tissue microarrays containing 104 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and 10 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Stromal CD10 was detected in 49.5% (50/101) of the IDC. No immunoreactivity was identified in the stromal cells of normal breast, DCIS or intraductal components of IDC. Accumulation of the cytoplasmic β-catenin was found in 87.0% (87/100) of the IDC. Stromal CD10 expression in IDC was significantly correlated with tumour size (P = 0.027), stage (P < 0.001) and histological grade (P = 0.006), the presence of nodal (P = 0.048) and distant (P = 0.015) metastases, oestrogen receptor-negative status (P = 0.016), cytoplasmic β-catenin accumulation (P = 0.031) and lower overall survival rate (P = 0.041). Conclusions: Stromal CD10 expression in IDC may constitute an important prognostic marker. Stromal CD10 expression with associated aggressive features might be related to aberrant β-catenin expression.