Basal cell-specific and hyperproliferation-related keratins in human breast cancer

• Published in: The American journal of pathology Vol. 138; no. 3; pp. 751 - 763
• Main Authors: Wetzels, RH, Kuijpers, HJ, Lane, EB, Leigh, IM, Troyanovsky, SM, Holland, R, van Haelst, UJ, Ramaekers, FC
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD ASIP 01.03.1991; American Society for Investigative Pathology
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor; Breast - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Carcinoma - metabolism; Carcinoma - pathology; Carcinoma in Situ - metabolism; Carcinoma in Situ - pathology; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - metabolism; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - pathology; Cell Division; Female; Humans; Immunopathology; Keratins - metabolism; Keratins - physiology; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Reference Values; Human; Mammary gland diseases; Pathology; Keratin; Immunocytochemistry; Exploration; Malignant tumor
• ISSN: 0002-9440; 1525-2191

In normal breast tissue and in noninvasive breast carcinomas, various keratin-14 antibodies were reactive predominantly with the basal/myoepithelial cell layer, although mainly in terminal and larger ducts luminal cells sometimes also were stained. A similar reaction pattern was found with an antibody directed against keratin 17, although this antibody was more often found negative than keratin 14 in the pre-existing myoepithelial cells in intraductal carcinomas. Furthermore antibodies reactive with hyperproliferation-related keratins 6 and 16 were used. One of these (LL025) was completely negative in normal breast tissue and noninvasive breast carcinomas. However 10% of the invasive carcinomas were diffusely or focally positive with this latter antibody, while in 18 of 115 cases of invasive breast carcinomas studied, a basal cell phenotype was detected. A relatively high concordance was found between the carcinomas immunostaining with the basal cell and the hyperproliferation-related keratins, but not between these markers and the proliferation marker Ki-67. This supports the conclusion that basal cells in breast cancer may show extensive proliferation, and that absence of Ki-67 staining does not mean that (tumor) cells are not proliferating.