Investigating molecular mechanisms underlying lymphovascular invasion in invasive breast carcinoma. (360G-Wellcome-202607_Z_16_Z)

Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) refers to the presence of Invasive Breast Carcinoma (IBC) cells within the lymphatic spaces. LVI is highly associated with poor prognosis and higher rates of recurrence and mortality. This biological phenomenon is regulated through multistep molecular mechanisms that will lead eventually to distant metastasis. Previously, it has been explained how IBC cells are capable to breakdown the surrounding stroma and transmigrate through vessels' lamina. However, the selective tropism of IBC cells toward the lymphatic vessels is not clear. The biochemical and biological molecules that construct the conditions of tumour microenvironment of invasion- metastasis cascade would be recruited by IBC cells through a genetic regulated cell to cell, or cell to stroma signalling pathways. In previous study, IBC cases have been characterised and grouped according to their LVI status, and in-depth genomic/transcriptomic profiling analysis has revealed sets of genes that are significantly associated with positive LVI cases. Those differentially expressed driver genes of LVI would be our genes in query to investigate their role as potential prognostic and therapeutic targets. The molecular mechanisms that regulate LVI in IBC may be decoded by applying immunohistochemistry techniques on human IBC tissues, and analyse the findings with the correspondent clinicopathological data.