Abstract
β1 Integrins were examined immunohisto-chemically in normal and mastopathic mammary glands, 12 benign tumours and 90 carcinomas of the breast using monoclonal antibodies againstβ1 andα1 toβ6 subunits. When compared with epithelial cells of non-neoplastic mammary glands and of benign tumours, carcinoma cells showed considerable quantitative changes in the pattern ofα2,α3 andα6 subunit expression. In contrast, the distribution pattern ofβ1,α1,α4 andα5 antigens corresponded to the situation observed in non-neoplastic mammary gland epithelium in most instances. An abnormal expression ofα2 was found in 71.0% of the carcinomas ranging from a remarkably low number ofα2-positive tumour cells in 27.5% of the cases to a complete absence of theα2 molecule in 43.5% of the carcinomas. Of the carcinomas 39.9% exhibited quantitative changes inα3 expression with an abnormally low content ofα3-positive neoplastic cells in 15.4% and a complete absence of this molecule in 24.5% of the cases. Expression ofα6 was abnormal in 73.2% of the carcinomas, consisting in a greater number ofα6-negative tumour cells in 31.9% and in a complete absence ofα6 in 41.3% of the tumours. The abnormally low expression/absence ofα2 andα3 subunits correlated with oestrogen receptor negativity (P<0.033 andP<0.04, respectively). In addition, abnormally low expression/absence ofα2 correlated with poor differentiation of the tumours (P< 0.014). The quantitative changes in the expression pattern ofβ1-associatedα subunits in breast carcinomas may cause a disturbed cell-cell and/or cell-matrix interaction that increases the invasive and migratory property of the tumour cells.
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Mechtersheimer, G., Munk, M., Barth, T. et al. Expression ofβ1 integrins in non-neoplastic mammary epithelium, fibroadenoma and carcinoma of the breast. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 422, 203–210 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01621803
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01621803