Immunohistochemical correlation between vitamin D receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-2) in breast cancer

Abstract

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is expressed in breast tissue and known to modulate the rate of cell proliferation; HER-2 proteins are receptors on breast cells which normally help control how a healthy breast cell grows. This study was carried out to determine the Immunohistochemical Correlation between the Expression of Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (HER-2) in Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) tissues. A total number of fifty-six (56) archived female breast Invasive Ductal Carcinoma tissue blocks were used. The tissue blocks were sectioned at not more than 2μm each. Haematoxylin and Eosin staining method and immunohistochemical staining technique using VDR and HER-2 antibodies were done and the results were correlated. The results show that there is a significant difference (P<0.05) found comparing the immunohistochemical expression of VDR with HER-2 in IDC tissues. VDR antibody cannot be used in substitute to HER-2 antibody in the immunohistochemical diagnosis of Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast. However, VDR’s strong positive expression in IDC tissues may indicate its links with breast cancer. Therefore, VDR may be recommended as an additional antibody in the diagnosis and breast cancer therapeutics

Keywords: Vitamin D receptor, Human Epidermal Growth factor receptor (HER-2), Invasive ductal carcinoma, Breast Cancer

Afr. J. Biomed. Res. Vol. 22 (January, 2019); 39- 43