P-glycoprotein expression in primary breast cancer detected by immunocytochemistry with two monoclonal antibodies

G C Wishart; J A Plumb; J J Going; A M McNicol; C S McArdle; T Tsuruo; S B Kaye

doi:10.1038/bjc.1990.373

P-glycoprotein expression in primary breast cancer detected by immunocytochemistry with two monoclonal antibodies

Br J Cancer. 1990 Nov;62(5):758-61. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1990.373.

Authors

G C Wishart¹, J A Plumb, J J Going, A M McNicol, C S McArdle, T Tsuruo, S B Kaye

Affiliation

¹ CRC Department of Medical Oncology, University of Glasgow, UK.

Abstract

We have investigated P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in samples of primary breast cancer from 29 patients before therapy. We employed immunohistochemical techniques using two monoclonal antibodies (C219 and MRK16) and an indirect alkaline phosphatase method. Heterogeneous expression in epithelial cells was detected with both C219 (21 of 29) and MRK16 (16 of 29). A surprising finding was P-glycoprotein expression in stromal cells with both C219 (26 of 29) and MRK16 (12 of 29). Our results suggest that significant levels of P-glycoprotein expression may be present in breast cancer before exposure to drugs associated with multidrug resistance.

MeSH terms

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
Antibodies, Monoclonal*
Breast Neoplasms / chemistry*
Drug Resistance*
Female
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Membrane Glycoproteins / analysis*
Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Membrane Glycoproteins