Expression of IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA in breast tissue.
Expression of IGF-I and IGF-II was studied in human breast cancer tissues by in situ hybridization. IGF-I mRNA was detected only in stromal cells adjacent to normal breast epithelial cells. Stromal cells associated with the tumor cells did not contain IGF-I, nor did malignant or benign breast epithelial cells. In contrast, IGF-II mRNA was found in both the malignant epithelial cells and their adjacent stromal cells. These data imply that stromal cells associated with breast epithelium may switch expression from IGF-I to IGF-II during breast cancer evolution. This appearance of IGF-II expression may identify cancer-associated stromal cells that have a fetal phenotype.
Paik
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Department of Pathology, Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007.
D001940:Breast / Q000737:chemistry*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000235:genetics*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000235:genetics*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II