FIGURE 1.

Stromal pentraxin 3 (PTX3) expression is positively correlates with worse outcomes in triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. (A) In primary breast cancers, higher CCAAT/enhancer binding protein delta (CEBPD) and PTX3 levels in cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are associated with reduced disease‐specific and metastasis‐free survival times. (B) An immunohistochemistry assay was performed in TNBC patients. The expression of CEBPD and PTX3 in the CAFs in representative TNBC in early (left panel) and advanced (right panel) stages. The tumour is surrounded by spindle‐shaped fibroblasts (as indicated by the arrow) in advanced‐stage TNBC. (C) In those receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, CAFs CEBPD and PTX3 expression levels are significantly increased in non‐responders. Abbreviations: ANOVA, Analysis of variance; C/T, chemotherapy; H.R., Hazard ratio; KO, knock out; Pre‐N, pre‐neoadjuvant C/T biopsy samples; Post‐N, post‐neoadjuvant C/T biopsy samples