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Tumor-associated macrophages and crown-like structures in adipose tissue in breast cancer

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment volume 170, pages 15–25 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate macrophage infiltration and to identify the status of crown-like structures (CLSs) in mammary adipose tissue of human breast tissue in cases with and without breast cancer.

Methods

Breast adipose tissue was obtained from reduction mammoplasty (N = 56, Group 1), non-neoplastic breast tissue of breast cancer patients (N = 84, Group 2), and breast cancer with adipose stroma (N = 140, Group 3). Immunohistochemical staining of CD68 and CD163 was performed, and the infiltrating macrophages and CLSs within breast adipose tissue were evaluated.

Results

Group 3 had the largest number of CD68-positive (CD68+) and CD163-positive (CD163+) macrophages and CLSs within adipose tissue (P < 0.001). Among Group 3, cases with high levels of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages commonly had a higher histologic grade (P = 0.016 and P = 0.045), and cases with CD163+ CLSs were correlated with old age (P = 0.042), estrogen receptor negativity (P = 0.013), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positivity (P = 0.043), and non-luminal A type (P = 0.039). Upon univariate analysis, high levels of CD163+ macrophages were associated with shorter disease-free survival in node-negative breast cancer patients (P = 0.033), and CD68+ CLSs were associated with shorter overall survival in node-positive breast cancer patients (P = 0.015).

Conclusions

CD68+ and/or CD163+ tumor-associated macrophage infiltration as well as CLSs are present in adipose tissue nearby the breast cancer lesion, and are associated with various clinicopathologic parameters of breast cancer.

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Abbreviations

TME:

Tumor microenvironment

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

TAM:

Tumor-associated macrophages

CLS:

Crown-like structures

BMI:

Body Mass Index

DFS:

Disease-free survival

OS:

Overall survival

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Funding

This study was supported by a faculty research grant from Yonsei University College of Medicine for 2013 (6-2016-0163).

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, South Korea

    Yoon Jin Cha, Eun-Sol Kim & Ja Seung Koo

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  1. Yoon Jin Cha
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  2. Eun-Sol Kim
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  3. Ja Seung Koo
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Contributions

Conception and design: JSK. Administrative support: JSK. Collection and assembly of data: All authors. Data analysis and interpretation: All authors. Drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content: YJC and JSK. Final approval of the manuscript: All authors

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Correspondence to Ja Seung Koo.

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Cha, Y.J., Kim, ES. & Koo, J.S. Tumor-associated macrophages and crown-like structures in adipose tissue in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 170, 15–25 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-018-4722-1

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Keywords

  • Adipocyte
  • Breast
  • Crown-like structure
  • Cancer
  • Macrophage