lactoferrin and Adenocarcinoma--Mucinous

136 breast carcinomas were investigated immunohistochemically for alpha-lactalbumin (ALA), lactoferrin (Lfr), human milk fat globule membrane antigen (HMFG-2), transferrin receptor (TrfR), Ki-67 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The relationships of pathologic features and steroid receptor status previously shown to be of prognostic significance and the immunohistochemical parameters were examined. It was found that estrogen receptor (ER) was inverse related to TrfR, Ki-67 and EGFR whereas progesterone receptor (PgR) was inverse correlated to Ki-67 solely. Tumor grading revealed significant correlations between TrfR, Ki-67 and HMFG-2 (inverse correlation). Tumor diameter showed correlation between Ki-67 solely. Moreover there were significant relationships between lymphoid infiltration and TrfR, Ki-67 and HMFG-2 (inverse correlation). The comparison of the immunohistochemical parameters showed correlations between Ki-67 and TrfR, Ki-67 and HMFG-2 (inverse correlation) as well as HMFG-2 and ALA. Therefore it is suggested that functional and tumor kinetic properties determined by HMFG-2, Ki-67 and TrfR may be an additional indicator with prognostic significance. On the other hand immunoreactivities of ALA in conjunction with HMFG-2 possibly indicates a subpopulation of breast carcinomas that may have to be investigated further. Moreover these results showed that lymphoid infiltration was correlated with Ki-67 reactivity as well as TrfR expression.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous; Aged; Biomarkers, Tumor; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; ErbB Receptors; Female; Humans; Lactalbumin; Lactoferrin; Membrane Glycoproteins; Middle Aged; Mucin-1; Prognosis; Receptors, Estrogen; Receptors, Transferrin

Topics: Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous; Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; Female; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lactalbumin; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Membrane Proteins; Mucin-1; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Prognosis

An immunoperoxidase staining technique was used for detecting three major iron binding proteins (ferritin, transferrin and lactoferrin) in 40 breast carcinoma cases and six benign breast proliferative lesions. Ferritin staining was detected mainly in connectival stroma and in histiocytes surrounding neoplastic cells. Few and faint ferritin positivities were also detected in neoplastic cells of 20 carcinoma cases. Transferrin was found inconsistently in myoepithelial cells surrounding normal ductules, or around neoplastic ducts of ductal in situ carcinoma. In eight carcinoma cases, transferrin staining was also positive in neoplastic cells. Lactoferrin was detected only in normal breast epithelial cells and in benign breast proliferative lesions. These immunohistochemical findings may suggest that raised serum ferritin concentrations in breast carcinoma patients might be attributed to stromal reaction rather than to tumour synthesis. Transferrin staining of neoplastic cells in these carcinoma cases appears to be very intriguing, particularly since transferrin is considered an obligate requirement for growing cells, and transferrin receptors have been demonstrated only in dividing cells. On the basis of the immunohistochemical data, lactoferrin might be used as a pointer to benign lesions.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous; Breast; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Carcinoma in Situ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating; Female; Ferritins; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lactoferrin; Lactoglobulins; Transferrin