Summary
TrfR, a primitive membrane protein was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in 87,6% of 105 cases of breast carcinoma, predominantly on the cell surface and in a strong and rather uniform pattern. Sporadic staining in a patchy fashion was observed. No difference between individual tumour types was seen, neither in cytomorphological staining pattern nor in staining intensity. Exceptionally, mucoid carcinomas showed weaker intensity for receptor expression.
Because of the heterogenous expression of TrfR within most of the tumours the extent of staining reaction was determined by semiquantitative grading (low, moderate, high). These results were compared with grade of anaplasia, tumour staging and nodal status of the axilla. The extent of immunoreactivity revealed significant correlation with grade of anaplasia, whereas no correlation was found with staging and status of axillary lymph nodes. Tumours with higher degree of malignancy (GII–GIII) showed a higher extent of staining. The presence of TrfR in a high degree of expression thus implies some prognostic value. Its quantitative determination can provide kinetic data on the neoplasm.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Reference
Azzopardi JG (1979) Problems in breast pathology. In: Major problems in pathology, vol 11. W.B. Saunders Comp Ltd, pp 240–241
Bloom HJG, Richardson WW (1957) Histological grading and prognosis in breast cancer. A study of 1409 cases of which 359 have been followed for 15 years. Br J Cancer 4:347–367
Bussolati G, Pich A, Alfani V (1975) Immunofluorescence detection of casein in human mammary dysplastic and neoplastic tissue. Virchows Arch [Pathol Anat] 365:15–21
Hanover JA, Willingham MC, Pastan I (1984) Kinetics of transit of transferrin and epidermal growth factor through clathrin-coated membranes. Cell 39:283–293
Harding C, Heuser J, Stahl P (1983) Receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin and recycling of the transferrin receptor in rat reticulocytes. J Cell Biol 97:329–339
Harris JP, Caleb MH, South MA (1975) Secretory component in human mammary cancer. Cancer Res 35:1861–1864
Hopkins CR, Trowbridge IS (1983) Internalization and processing of transferrin and the transferrin receptor in human carcinoma A 431 cells. J Cell Biol 97:508–521
Horne CHW, Reid IN, Milne GD (1979) Prognostic significance of inappropriate production of pregnancy proteins by breast cancers. Lancet 2:279–282
Iacopetta BJ, Morgan EH, Yeoh GCT (1983) Receptor-mediated endocytosis of transferrin by developing erythroid cells from fetal rat liver. J Histochem Cytochem 31:336–344
Larrick JW, Cresswell P (1979) Modulation of cell surface iron transferrin receptors by cellular density and state of activation. J Supramol Struct 11:579–586
Lee AK, Rosen PP, De Lellis RA, Saigo PE, Gangi MD, Groshen S, Bagin R, Wolfe HJ (1985) Tumor marker expression in breast carcinomas and relationship to prognosis. An immunohistochemical study. Am J Clin Pathol 84:687–696
McClelland A, Kühn LC, Ruddle FH (1984) The human transferrin receptor gene:genomic organization, and the complete primary structure of the receptor deduced from a cDNA sequence. Cell 39:267–274
Newman R, Schneider C, Sutherland R, Vodinelich L, Greaves M (1982) The transferrin receptor. Trends Biochem Sci 1:397–400
Omary MB, Trowbridge IS (1981) Biosynthesis of the human transferrin receptor in cultured cells. J Biol Chem 256:12,888–12,892
Page Faulk W, Bae-Li Hsi, Stevens PJ (1980) Transferrin and transferrin receptors in carcinoma of the breast. Lancet 23:390–392
Sabatini DD, Kreibich G, Morimoto T, Adesnik M (1982) Mechanisms for the incorporation of proteins in membranes and organelles. J Cell Biol 92:1–22
Sachs L (1982) Statistische Methoden. 5., neubearb. Aufl. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo
Scheibe O (1970) Die Klassifikation der malignen Tumoren nach dem TNM System. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Schneider C, Sutherland R, Newman R, Greaves M (1981) Structural features of the cell surface receptor for transferrin that is recognized by the monoclonal anti-body OKT 9. J Biol Chem 257:8516–8522
Shindelman JE, Ortmeyer AD, Sussman HH (1981) Demonstration of the transferrin receptor in human breast cancer tissue. Potential marker for identifying dividing cells. Int J Cancer 27:329–334
Thompson ChH, Jones SL, Whitehead RH, Mc Kenzie IFC (1983) A human breast tissue-associated antigen detected by a monoclonal antibody. JNCI 70:409–419
Trowbridge IS, Lopez F (1982) Monoclonal antibody to transferrin receptor blocks transferrin binding and inhibits human tumor cell growth in vitro. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 79:1175–1179
Wallgren A, Silferswärd C, Eklund E (1976) Prognostic factors in mammary carcinoma. Acta Radiol 15:1–16
Walker RA (1978) Significance of alpha-subunit HCG demonstrated in breast carcinomas by the immunoperoxidase technique. J Clin Pathol 31:245–249
Walker RA (1979) The demonstration of alpha-lactalbumin in human breast carcinomas. J Pathol 129:37–42
Watts C (1985) Rapid endocytosis of the transferrin receptor in the absence of bound transferrin. J Cell Biol 100:633–637
Yu GSM, Kadish AS, Johnson AB, Marcus DM (1980) Breast carcinoma-associated antigen, an immunocytochemical study. Am J Clin Pathol 74:453–457
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wrba, F., Ritzinger, E., Reiner, A. et al. Transferrin receptor (TrfR) expression in breast carcinoma and its possible relationship to prognosis. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 410, 69–73 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00710908
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00710908