[Expression of transferrin receptor 1 and β1-integrins correlates with estrogen receptor status and immune infiltration in breast cancer].

Cancer cells can aberrantly express various markers, including transferrin receptor 1 (CD71) and β 1-integrin molecules. Their role in invasion, migration and metastasis has been demonstrated. Determination of their expression in breast cancer (BC) may be an important point to characterize the clinical course of the tumor and prognosis of the disease.
Objective: To study of transferrin receptor 1 (CD71) expression by primary breast cancer cells in correlation with tumor cell phenotype.
Material and Methods: Determination of BC phenotype: immunohistochemical staining method (immunofluorescence). Antibodies to ER (estrogen receptors), KL-1 (pancytokeratin), CD71 (transferrin receptor), CD29 ( β 1-integrins). CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20 infiltration was also evaluated. ZEISS microscope (AXIOSKOP; Germany), method of G.J. Hammerling et al. Statistical processing: IBM-SPSS Statistics v.21.
Results: 63% of BC cases had CD71+ phenotype. CD71-mosaic tumors were observed in 14.4%. β 1-integrin expression was monomorphic in 51.6% of cases and mosaic in 38.7%. 85% of ER-positive tumors were CD71-positive with a monomorphic type of reaction; p =0.014. Among ER-negative tumors, CD71-negative reactions were 2-fold more frequent and the monomorphic type was less frequent. ER-positive tumors were CD29-positive in 73%; p =0.031. 45.5% of ER+ tumors were CD29-monomorphic. Among ER-negative tumors, the frequency of CD29-monomorphic tumors was 55%. Significant infiltration by CD3+ cells was predominant in CD71-positive tumors; p =0.016. In the CD29-monomorphic phenotype, CD45+ infiltration was 31.3%, and in the mosaic phenotype, 67.1%.
Conclusion: BC aberrantly expresses transferrin receptors, β 1-integrins. CD71 expression is associated with ER expression. ER-positive tumors are often monomorphic for CD71. Prominent CD3+ infiltration was present in CD71+ tumors. Expression of β 1-integrins correlated with ER+ status and weak immune infiltration.