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Augmented expression of endothelin‐1, endothelin‐3 and the endothelin‐B receptor in breast carcinoma[Note 1. Presented at the US and Canadian Academy of Pathology ...]
Author(s) -
Kalle Alanen,
Deng Dx,
Subrata Chakrabarti
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2559.2000.00795.x
Subject(s) - pathology , breast cancer , fibroadenoma , messenger rna , carcinoma in situ , carcinoma , mammary gland , endothelin 1 , desmoplasia , breast carcinoma , biology , endothelins , immunohistochemistry , medicine , receptor , cancer , stroma , gene , biochemistry
Aims Endothelins (ETs) are peptides expressed in many tumours which may stimulate angiogenesis and desmoplasia. Because ETs have not been extensively studied mammary neoplasia, we assessed ET protein and mRNA expression and receptor mRNA expression in normal and neoplastic breast tissues. Methods and results Tissues from five normal breasts, six fibroadenomas, seven ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS) and 25 invasive carcinomas were stained with anti‐ET‐1 and anti‐ET‐3 antibodies and analysed using a grading system. ET‐1, ET‐3, ET A and ET B mRNA expression was assessed by quantitative RT‐PCR from eight carcinomas and five normals. Weak staining for ET‐1 and ET‐3 was detected in all normals. Moderate to strong staining was seen in 72% and 64% of carcinomas for ET‐1 and ET‐3, respectively. Most fibroadenomas showed weak positivity for ET‐1 (83%) and ET‐3 (67%). ET‐1 and ET‐3 mRNA levels were upregulated in carcinomas compared with normal breast. No ET A mRNA was not detected in any tissue. ET B mRNA was detected in normal breast and was increased in carcinomas. Conclusion These results suggest that the ET system is altered in breast carcinomas and this may be of importance in the progression from in‐situ to invasive carcinoma.