Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Prolactin binding by human mammary carcinoma: Relationship to estrogen receptor protein concentration and patient age

  • Reports
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Biopsy specimens of 55 human mammary carcinomas (38 primary and 17 metastatic) were assayed for prolactin receptors (PrlR). Prolactin bound specifically to 32 (58%) of the tumor biopsy specimens. The apparent K d for PrlR in individual tumors ranged from 15 pM to 2. 3 nM (mean 600 pM,n = 5) and the concentration of PrlR ranged from 0 to 44.5 fmoles/mg protein. Estrogen receptors (ERP) were also detected in 28 of the 32 tumors which had PrlR. Overall, there was no correlation between PrlR and ERP. However, the mean concentration of PrlR was significantly higher (p <0.01) in tumors with 6–100 fmoles/mg protein ERP (∼ 13 fmoles PrlR) than in tumors with either <6 or >250 fmoles ERP (4.0 ± 0.4 and 6.5 ± 1.8 respectively fmoles PrlR). Analysis of PrlR concentration as a function of patient age also showed no overall correlation, but the mean PrlR in tumors from women aged 60–70 was significantly higher (p <0.01) than in those from either younger or older women. A higher concentration of PrlR was observed in tumors which were classified histologically as medium or well differentiated (6.1 ± 1.2 and 11.1 ± 2.1, respectively) than in those classified as poorly differentiated (3.3 ± 1.2) (p <0.03). There was a negative correlation between PrlR concentration and membrane yield from the tumors (r = 0.43,p <0.002). The membrane yield correlated with the ratio of tumor cells to stroma (histologically) (r = 0.63,p <0.001). In tumors from 12 patients with metastatic disease on whom follow up after endocrine-related therapy was available, the mean PrlR concentration was significantly higher in the non-responding group (8.2 ± 3.0) than in the responding group (3.4 ± 4.2,p = 0.05).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Venter BR: Prolactin binding to human mammary tumors as a function of estrogen receptor concentration and patient age (abstract). Fed Proc 38:349, 1979

    Google Scholar 

  2. McGuire WL, Carbone PP, Sears ME, Escher GC: Estrogen receptors in human breast cancer: An overview.In: WL McGuire, PP Carbone, EP Volmer (eds): Estrogen Receptors in Human Breast Cancer. Raven Press, New York, 1975, pp 1–7

    Google Scholar 

  3. Horwitz KB, McGuire WL, Pearson OH, Segaloff A: Predicting response to endocrine therapy in human breast cancer: A hypothesis. Science 89:726–727, 1975

    Google Scholar 

  4. Costlow ME, Buschow RA, McGuire WL: Prolactin receptors in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumors following endocrine ablation. Cancer Res 36:3941–3943, 1976

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Sinha D, Cooper D, Dao TL: The nature of estrogen and prolactin effect on mammary tumorigenesis. Cancer Res 33:411–414, 1973

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Talwalder PK, Meites J, Mezeino H: Mammary tumor induction by estrogen or anterior pituitary hormones in ovariectomized rats given 7,12-dimethyl-1,2-benzathracene. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 116:531–534, 1964

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Asselin J, Kelly PA, Caron MC, Labrie F: Control of hormone receptor levels and growth of 7,12-dimethyl-benz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumors by estrogens, progesterone and prolactin. Endocrinology 101:666–671, 1977

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Horwitz KB, McGuire WL: Progesterone and progesterone receptors in experimental breast cancer. Cancer Res 37:1733–1738, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dilley WG, Kister SG: In vitro stimulation of human breast tissue by human prolactin. J Natl Cancer Inst 55:35–36, 1975

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Shiu RPC, Friesen HG: Properties of a prolactin receptor from the rabbit mammary gland. Biochem J 140:301–311, 1974

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Barrett A, DeSouza I, Morgan L, Tovey F, Hobbs JR: A breast carcinoma dependent on human placental lactogen. The Lancet June 14, 1975, p 1374

    Google Scholar 

  12. Holdaway IM, Friesen HG: Hormone binding by human mammary carcinoma. Cancer Res 37:1946–1952, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  13. Stagner JI, Jochimsen PR, Sherman BM: Lactogenic hormone binding to human breast cancer (abstract). Clin Res Abstracts 25:302A, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  14. Schultz CS, Ebner KE: α-lactalbumin levels in human mammary tumors, sera, and mammary cell culture lines. Cancer Res 37:4489–4492, 1977

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lewis UJ, Singh RNP: Recovery of prolactin from human pituitary glands.In: JL Pasteels and C Robyn (eds): Human Prolactin: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Human Prolactin, Brussels, June 12–14, 1973. Elsevier, New York, 1973, pp 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  16. Scatchard B: The attractions of proteins for small molecules and ions. Annals NY Acad Sci 51:660, 1949

    Google Scholar 

  17. Schneider SL, Dao TL: Effect of Ca2+ and salt on forms of estradiol cytoplasmic receptor in human neoplastic breast tissue. Cancer Res 37:382–387, 1977

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Avruch J, Wallach DFH: Preparation and properties of plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum fragments from isolated rat fat cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 233:334–347, 1971

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wittliff JL, Beatty BW, Savlov ED, Patterson WB, Cooper RA Jr: Estrogen receptors and hormone dependency. in human breast cancer. Recent Results Cancer Res 57:59–77, 1976

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Knight WA III, Livingston RB, Gregory EJ, McGuire WL: Estrogen receptor as an independent prognostic factor for early recurrence in breast cancer. Cancer Res 37:4669–4671, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  21. Frank S, Ralphs DNL, Seagroatt V, Jacobs HS: Prolactin concentrations in patients with breast cancer. Br Med J 4:320–321, 1974

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Hill P, Wynder EL, Kuman H, Helman P, Rona G, Kuna K: Prolactin levels in populations at risk for breast cancer. Cancer Res 36:4102–4106, 1976

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Kwa HG, De Jong-Bakker M, Engelsman E, Cleton FJ: Plasma prolactin in human breast cancer. Lancet 1:433–435, 1974

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Leung CK, Shiu RPC. Required presence of both estrogen and pituitary factors for the growth of human breast cancer cells in athymic nude mice. Cancer Res 41:546–551, 1981

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Barbara Rae-Venter Ph.D.

    Present address: Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, 77550, Galveston, TX, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Breast Surgery and Breast Cancer Research Unit, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, 14263, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Barbara Rae-Venter Ph.D., Takuma Nemoto M.D., Sally L. Schneider Ph.D. & Thomas L. Dao M.D.

Authors
  1. Barbara Rae-Venter Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takuma Nemoto M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sally L. Schneider Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Thomas L. Dao M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Address for reprints: Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rae-Venter, B., Nemoto, T., Schneider, S.L. et al. Prolactin binding by human mammary carcinoma: Relationship to estrogen receptor protein concentration and patient age. Breast Cancer Res Tr 1, 233–243 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806263

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806263

Keywords

Search

Navigation