The Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 and Lipocalin 2 Expressions in Primary Breast Cancer and Their Associations with Molecular Subtypes and Prognostic Factors - Original Research - abstract

Q: What is the study’s main purpose?

To investigate how PD-L1 and LCN2 are expressed in primary breast cancer and to determine their associations with molecular subtypes and prognostic factors.

Q: How were PD-L1 and LCN2 expression levels measured?

Expression levels were assessed using immunohistochemistry in a retrospective cohort of 89 primary breast cancer cases.

Q: Which tumor subtypes showed significant elevations of LCN2 and PD-L1?

Triple-negative and HER2-positive breast cancers showed significant increases in both LCN2 and PD-L1 expression.

Q: What did the study conclude about LCN2 and immunotherapy targeting?

The results connect LCN2 with known prognostic factors and molecular subtypes, suggesting that evaluating LCN2 alongside PD-L1 may help identify potential immunotherapy recipients across patient subgroups.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

Breast cancer displays molecular heterogeneity that drives different clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses. This study evaluates PD-L1 and Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) expression in relation to molecular subtypes and prognostic factors, addressing a gap in knowledge about how both markers behave across breast cancer subgroups. Retrospective immunohistochemistry analysis of 89 primary cases classified tumors by ER, PR, HER2, and Ki-67 status. LCN2 and PD-L1 increased with higher Allred scores and were elevated in triple-negative and HER2-positive cancers, linking LCN2 to established prognostic features.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusion

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Breast Cancer: Targets and Therapy Dovepress open access to scientific and medical research Open Access Full Text Article ORIGINAL RESEARCH The Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 and Lipocalin 2 Expressions in Primary Breast Cancer and Their Associations with Molecular Subtypes and Prognostic Factors Suheyla Ekemen 1 , 2 , Ebru Bilir 3 , Hagar Elsayed Akram Soultan 3 , Sadia Zafar 3 , Figen Demir4 , Babek Tabandeh 5 , Sadik Toprak 6 , Ozlem Yapicier 7 , Cevayir Coban2 , 8 , 9 1Vocational School of Health Services, Acibadem University, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Division of Malaria Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science (IMSUT), the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; 3Residency Program, Bahcesehir University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey; 4Department of Public Health, Acibadem University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey; 5Department of General Surgery, Bahcesehir University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey; 6Department of Forensic Medicine, Istanbul University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey; 7Department of Pathology, Bahcesehir University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey; 8Immunology Frontier Research Center (IFReC), Osaka University, Osaka, Japan; 9International Vaccine Design Center, Institute of Medical Science (IMSUT), the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan Correspondence: Suheyla Ekemen, Division of Malaria Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology the Institute of Medical Science (IMSUT), the University of Tokyo Building 1, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan, Email [suheylaekemen@gmail.com](suheylaekemen@gmail.com); [suheyla.ekemen@acibadem.edu.tr](suheyla.ekemen@acibadem.edu.tr) | Purpose: Breast cancers exhibit molecular heterogeneity, leading to diverse clinical outcomes and therapeutic responses. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-L1 have shown promise in various malignancies, including breast cancer. Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) has also been associated with tumor aggressiveness and prognostic potential in breast cancers. However, the expression of PD-L1 and LCN2 in breast cancer subtypes and their prognostic implications remains poorly investigated.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of 89 primary breast cancer cases was conducted to assess PD-L1 and LCN2 expressions using immunohistochemistry. Cases were classified into four different molecular subtypes based on ER, PR, HER2, and Ki-67 status. Associations between PD-L1 and LCN2 expressions and various prognostic factors were examined.
Results: Although low expression of LCN2 (Allred score of <3) was observed even in normal breast tissue, LCN2 expression with increasing Allred score (≥3) positively correlated with the histological grade, high Ki-67 proliferation index, and ER/PR negativity. Significant elevations of LCN2 and PD-L1 expressions were observed in triple-negative and HER2-positive breast cancers. Conclusion: The results of the study highlight the association of LCN2 with known prognostic factors and molecular subtypes. To identify potential immunotherapy recipients, it would be useful to evaluate LCN2 as well as PD-L1 immune targets in different subgroups of breast cancer patients. Further studies with larger patient numbers are warranted to validate these observations and establish standardized scoring criteria for LCN2 expression assessment.
Keywords: breast cancer, immunotherapy, PD-L1, LCN2, triple-negative breast cancer, TNBC | | --- | | Introduction
Breast cancer is a tumor with different morphologies and complex molecular subtypes, and therefore has various prognostic outcomes that require different treatment approaches. A widely accepted breast cancer classification comprise at least four distinct molecular subtypes based on immunohistochemical evaluation of hormone receptors: Luminal A, Luminal B, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 positive (HER2+), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) .1 Especially in TNBCs, which are chara

FAQs

What is the study’s main purpose?

To investigate how PD-L1 and LCN2 are expressed in primary breast cancer and to determine their associations with molecular subtypes and prognostic factors.

How were PD-L1 and LCN2 expression levels measured?

Expression levels were assessed using immunohistochemistry in a retrospective cohort of 89 primary breast cancer cases.

Which tumor subtypes showed significant elevations of LCN2 and PD-L1?

Triple-negative and HER2-positive breast cancers showed significant increases in both LCN2 and PD-L1 expression.

What did the study conclude about LCN2 and immunotherapy targeting?

The results connect LCN2 with known prognostic factors and molecular subtypes, suggesting that evaluating LCN2 alongside PD-L1 may help identify potential immunotherapy recipients across patient subgroups.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven