Objective   To study the expression and significance of CCR chemokine receptor-7 (CCR7) protein and vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) protein in the progression of breast cancer, including normal breast tissue, slight and moderate atypical hyperplasia, severe atypical hyperplasia and intraductal carcinoma in situ, as well as invasive ductal carcinoma. Methods  Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CCR7 and VEGF-D protein in the nomal breast tissue (n=20), slight and moderate ductal atypical hyperplasia tissue (n=20), severe atypical hyperplasia and intraductal carcinoma in situ tissue, as well as invasive ductal breast carcinoma tissue (n=73). In addition, the D2-40 staining was also used to determine lymphatic microvessel density (LMVD). Meanwhile, the relationship between the expression of the two kinds of protein and clinicopathological factors/LMVD was analyzed by statistical analysis in breast cancer, and the correlation between expression of CCR7 protein and expression of VEGF-D protein was analyzed too. Results  ①The positive rates of CCR7 protein (χ ² =23.905，P<0.050) and VEGF-D protein (χ ² =22.349，P<0.050) were gradually increased in the normal breast tissue group 〔CCR7 protein: 0 (0/20), VEGF-D protein: 5.0% (1/20)〕, slight and moderate atypical hyperplasia group 〔CCR7 protein: 5.0% (1/20), VEGF-D protein: 20.0% (4/20)〕, severe atypical hyperplasia and intraductal carcinoma in situ group 〔CCR7 protein: 30.0% (6/20), VEGF-D protein: 40.0% (8/20)〕, and invasive ductal carcinoma group 〔CCR7 protein: 47.9% (35/73), VEGF-D protein: 57.5% (42/73)〕. ②The LMVD value gradually increased in normal breast tissue group (2.00±1.02), slight and moderate atypical hyperplasia group (6.70± 3.48), severe atypical hyperplasia and intraductal carcinoma in situ group (9.01±2.13), as well as invasive ductal carcinoma group (16.32±4.07), there was significant difference between any 2 groups (P<0.050). ③The expressions of CCR7 protein and VEGF-D protein were correlated with clinical staging, histological grading, lymph node metastasis, and expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) protein in patients with breast cancer (P<0.050), the higher positive rates of CCR7 and VEGF-D protein occurred in patients with higher histological grading, later clinical staging of Ⅲ+Ⅳ (compared with staging of Ⅰ+Ⅱ), lymph node metastasis (compared with no lymph node metastasis), and positive expression of HER-2 protein (compared with negative expression of HER-2 protein). The result indicated that LMVD value was related with expression of VEGF-D protein (r=0.623, P<0.010) in patients with breast cancer, but there was no correlation with expression of CCR7 protein (r=-0.303, P>0.050). Furthermore, there was weak positive correlation between expression of CCR7 protein and expression of VEGF-D protein in breast cancer (r=0.112, P<0.050). Conclusion  The results strongly suggest that the expression levels of the VEGF-D protein and CCR7 protein indicate the potential of translation some extent, and they play an important role in the progression of breast cancer.

Citation： LIANGXiao-qin, SUQin-jun. Expression and Significance of CCR7 Protein and VEGF-D Protein in Progression of Breast Cancer. CHINESE JOURNAL OF BASES AND CLINICS IN GENERAL SURGERY, 2016, 23(6): 715-721. doi: 10.7507/1007-9424.20160190 Copy