Immunohistochemical study of a monoclonal antibody 115D8 against human milk-fat globule membrane (MAM-6) in some histological types of breast cancer.

ABSTRACT

An antigen, MAM-6, in human milk-fat globule membranes, was detected with a monoclonal antibody 115D8, in paraffin-embedded sections of 148 cases including human breast cancers and other breast diseases with immunoperoxidase technique. There were some differences on the staining portion in the cells among the different types of breast cancers, although we could not find any differences in intensity of reaction with 115D8 among the different histochemical types of breast cancers. MAM-6 was mainly localized in the apical portion of the cells or the cytoplasms of the papillo-tubular carcinoma. The antigen was chiefly localized in the margin of the cells or cytoplasms of the solid- tubular carcinoma and scirrhous carcinoma. Normal mammary glands, sweat glands and sebaceous glands were reacted with 115D8 but epidermis, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, pancreas, liver, lung, kidney, urinary bladder, thyroid, adrenal glands, heart, striated and smooth muscles, spleen, lymphnodes and brain were not reacted with 115D8 in this study. Although the antibody was not sufficient for differential diagnosis among the types of breast cancer, it may be useful to detect the breast cancer.