Barb AC, Fenesan MP, Pirtea M, Margan MM, Tomescu L, Ceban E, Cimpean AM, Melnic E. Reassessing Breast Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) Interactions with Other Stromal Components and Clinico-Pathologic Parameters by Using Immunohistochemistry and Digital Image Analysis (DIA).
Cancers (Basel) 2023;
15:3823. [PMID:
37568639 PMCID:
PMC10417678 DOI:
10.3390/cancers15153823]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer (BC) stroma has CD34- and αSMA-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) differently distributed. During malignant transformation, CD34-positive fibroblasts decrease while αSMA-positive CAFs increase. The prevalence of αSMA-positive CAFs in BC stroma makes microscopic examination difficult without digital image analysis processing (DIA). DIA was used to compare CD34- and αSMA-positive CAFs among breast cancer molecular subgroups. DIA-derived data were linked to age, survival, tumor stroma vessels, tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), invasion, and recurrence.
METHODS
Double immunostaining for CD34 and αSMA showed different CAF distribution patterns in normal and BC tissues. Single CD34 immunohistochemistry on supplemental slides quantified tumor stroma CD34_CAFs. Digital image analysis (DIA) data on CAF density, intensity, stromal score, and H-score were correlated with clinico-pathologic factors.
RESULTS
CD34/αSMA CAF proportion was significantly related to age in Luminal A (LA), Luminal B (LB), and HER2 subtypes. CD34_CAF influence on survival, invasion, and recurrence of LA, LB-HER2, and TNBC subtypes was found to be significant. The CD34/αSMA-expressing CAFs exhibited a heterogeneous impact on stromal vasculature and TLS.
CONCLUSION
BC stromal CD34_CAFs/αSMA_CAFs have an impact on survival, invasion, and recurrence differently between BC molecular subtypes. The tumor stroma DIA assessment may have predictive potential to prognosis and long-term follow-up of patients with breast cancer.
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