HAND2 and ER expression in breast cancer

To verify the immunohistochemical expression of Heart and Neural Crest Derivatives Expressed Transcript 2 (HAND2), a tumor suppressor protein, .in breast tissues with and without breast cancer. To correlate the expression of HAND2 with estrogen receptor

HAND2 and ER expression in breast cancer
Quiti. Lopes1, Ernesto de Paula Guedes neto2, José Luiz Pedrini3, Ricardo Francalacci Savaris1.
1UFRGS, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Porto Alergre, Brazil.
2Clinica Mulher, Private, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
3Grupo Hospitalar Conceição, Mastology, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Objectives: To verify the immunohistochemical expression of Heart and Neural Crest Derivatives Expressed
Transcript 2 (HAND2), a tumor suppressor protein, .in breast tissues with and without breast cancer. To
correlate the expression of HAND2 with estrogen receptor (ER)
Methods. In this case-control study, 19 formalin–fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were obtained for
pathological archives analysis. Tissue sections of breast tissue derived from benign conditions (n=10) and
breast cancer (n=9) were analyzed for the intensity of the staining with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine using rabbit
polyclonal antibody against HAND2 (Ab60037), at dilution 1:50 at pH 9; ER was analyzed using clone
1D5, monoclonal, Dako) diluído a 1/100. ImageJ software with “color deconvolution” was used for analysis
of the expression of these proteins. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired t-test and correlation
of Pearson . The sample size was calculated in order to have a power of 95%, an alpha error of 1% to
identify an increase in the primary outcome measure from 15 in the control group to 44 in the experimental
group.
Results: HAND2 expression (mean ± SD) in the breast tissue was 15.5 ± 1.9 (cancer) versus 44.9 ± 7 (breast
cancer) (P=0.0006). Its expression was present in the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments of the cells. No
correlation was observed between ER and HAND2 (Pearson r = -0.28 (95%CI=-0.6 to 0.22; P =0.2)
Conclusions: The immunoexpression of HAND2 is reduced in breast cancer, compared with normal breast
tissue. The expression of HAND2 is not correlated to ER expression These findings may guarantee further
research as a potential independent prognostic biomarker.
keywords: breast cancer, HAND2, immunohistochemistry
HAND2 immunohistochemistry expression in breast cancer (A: InSitu; B: infiltrative) and
normal breast (C). Staining is present in cytoplasm and in some nuclei (D – higher power).
Positive and negative external controls (hepatocarcinoma), in the lower right corner. Bars
represent 0.05 mm. Graph represents the mean expression of DAB using
Digital-HSCORE.