BCRP-IN-1

Nuclear DNA counterstaining uses DNA-binding fluorescent dyes to visualize nuclei and chromatin so that nuclei can be located, counted, segmented, and evaluated for morphology; Hoechst 33342, DAPI, propidium iodide, and DRAQ5 are commonly reported nuclear stains, while live-cell DNA labeling is better supported for Hoechst dyes and DRAQ5 than for propidium iodide in intact viable cells. Nuclear morphology staining can detect apoptosis-associated nuclear changes, including chromatin condensation, nuclear shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation, reduced nuclear area/perimeter/axis length, and increased nuclear fluorescence intensity; these morphology readouts have been compared with apoptosis markers such as TUNEL and caspase-3 immunofluorescence.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous cancer, and it has been distinguished into four subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, HER2-positive and basal-like. Molecular mutations, epigenetic alterations, hormone exposure and immune microenvironment are related to the progression of breast cancer.