Abstract
We studied the presence of surfactant protein A (Sp-A) immunoreactivity and messenger RNA in 62 normal and abnormal breast samples. Sections were immunostained with polyclonal anti-Sp-A antibody. The association between Sp-A immunoreactivity and histologic grade of 32 invasive ductal carcinomas was assessed by 3 pathologists who scored the intensity of Sp-A immunoreactivity times the percentage of tumor immunostained; individual scores were averaged, and the final scores were correlated with tumor grade, proliferative index, and expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors. Strong Sp-A immunoreactivity was present at the luminal surface of ductal epithelial cells in normal breast samples and in benign lesions; carcinomas displayed variable immunoreactivity, inversely proportional to the degree of differentiation. Sp-A messenger RNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in 3 of 3 normal breast samples and 9 of 9 carcinomas. The significance of Sp-A expression in breast epithelium requires further study; possibly it has a role in native host defense or epithelial differentiation.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Breast / anatomy & histology
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Breast / chemistry
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Breast / metabolism*
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Breast / pathology
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Breast Neoplasms / chemistry
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Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
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Breast Neoplasms / pathology
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Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / chemistry
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Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / metabolism*
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Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / secondary
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Cell Division
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DNA Primers / chemistry
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Epithelium / chemistry
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Epithelium / metabolism
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Female
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Humans
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Immunoenzyme Techniques
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Proteolipids / analysis
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Proteolipids / biosynthesis*
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Proteolipids / genetics
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Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A
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Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins
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Pulmonary Surfactants / analysis
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Pulmonary Surfactants / biosynthesis*
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Pulmonary Surfactants / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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RNA, Neoplasm / analysis
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Receptors, Estrogen / analysis
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Receptors, Estrogen / metabolism
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Receptors, Progesterone / analysis
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Receptors, Progesterone / metabolism
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Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
Substances
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DNA Primers
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Proteolipids
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Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A
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Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins
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Pulmonary Surfactants
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RNA, Messenger
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RNA, Neoplasm
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Receptors, Estrogen
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Receptors, Progesterone