Differentiation antigens expressed by epithelial cells in the lactating breast are also detectable in breast cancers

Abstract

Two monoclonal antibodies, 3.14.A3 and 1.10.F3, raised against a delipidated preparation of the human milk fat globule and characterized as epithelium-specific (Taylor-papadimitriou et al., 1981) were assayed histologically, by an indirect immunoperoxidase technique, against formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, normal and tumour tissue sections, in order to establish their in vivo specificity. Both antibodies bound to less than 10% of the alveoli and ducts in the resting breast, but bound to all areas of alveoli, ducts and secretion in the lactating breast. Binding was to the luminal surface of the alveolar and ductal epithelium. Antibody 3.14.A3 showed positive reactions with each of 20 primary breast carcinomas tested, and with metastatic lesions in lymph nodes from six of these. Antibody 1.10.F3 also reacted with most of the primary carcinomas but not with those of the mucoid type nor with metastatic lesions in lymph nodes. When tested against a variety of normal tissues, 1.10.F3 bound only to the luminal epithelial surface of classically defined exocrine glands, to their associated ducts and to the collecting tubules of kidney and bronchioles of the lung. 3.14.A3 showed a similar pattern of binding to 1.10.F3 but also bound to sweat glands, the alveolar epithelium of lung and the luminal epithelium of the ductuli efferentes of the epididymis. The only tumours, other than breast, showing a positive reaction with the antibodies were adenocarcinomas of the lung, uterus and ovary.

Production of monoclonal antibodies against human epithelial membrane antigen for use in diagnostic immunocytochemistry

“…The antibodies described in the present paper show similarities to the two monoclonal antibodies against defatted preparations of human cream (designated HMFG-1 and HMFG-2) reported by Taylor-Papadimitriou et al (1983) and by Arklie et al (1981), since they react with antigenic material in human milk which is of high mol. wt and give similar immunocytochemical labelling reactions (Gatter et al, 1982).…”

Micrometastases to axillary lymph nodes from carcinoma of breast: Detection by immunohistochemistry and prognostic significance

“…Bodmer and produced in the ICRF Laboratories, London (TaylorPapadimitriou et al, 1981;Arklie et al, 1981;Epenetos et al, 1982).…”

Antibody guided lymphangiography in the staging of cervical cancer

“…Monoclonal antibodies HMFG2 This mouse IgGl (Arklie et al, 1981) reacts positively with a wide rage of carcinomas, (Epenetos et al, 1982). Antibody reactivity was tested in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Epenetos et al, 1982) and in a direct radioimmunoassay (RIA) including a competitive assay with unlabelled antibodies.…”