Expression and clinical significance of Apaf-1 and Ki-67 in breast cancer tissues

LIU Zhuo; LI Xiaofeng; ZHANG Meiyun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1009-0460.2017.02.007

Abstract：Objective To study the expression of apoptotic protease activating facter-1 ( Apaf-1) and Ki-67 in breast cancer tissues and normal breast tissues, and to investigate the clinical significance of the two proteins. Methods From January 2014 to De-cember 2015, paraffin blocks of 60 cases of breast cancer tissues and 30 cases of adjacent normal tissues were enrolled in this study. The expressions of Apaf-1 and Ki-67 were detected using immunohistochemical EnVision method. The relationship between the two pro-teins, as well as the relationship of them with clinicopathological factors( age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage and body mass index) was also analyzed. Results The positive rate of Apaf-1 in breast cancer tissues was 21. 7% ( 13/60) , which was significantly lower than that in adjacent normal tissues (70. 0%, 21/30), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0. 05). The positive rate of Ki-67 in breast cancer tissues was 73. 3% ( 44/60) , which was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal tis-sue (11/30, 36. 7%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0. 05). Apaf-1 and Ki-67 were not related with age, body mass index( P>0. 05) , but with tumor size, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage ( P<0. 05) . The expression of the two protein in breast cancer tissues was negatively correlated ( r=-0. 413, P=0. 018) . Conclusion In breast cancer, Apaf-1 expression was de-creased but Ki-67 expression was elevated. Apaf-1 and Ki-67 play an important role in the development and invasion of breast cancer, and may be used as a marker to diagnose the breast cancer.