title: Determination of transforming growth factor beta 1 mRNA expression in breast carcinomas by in situ hybridization.
abstract: The expression of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) mRNA has been determined in 16 breast carcinomas using in situ hybridization and compared with TGF-beta protein as detected by antibodies against TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 1 plus TGF-beta 2. Digoxigenin-labelled riboprobes were used, with alkaline phosphatase and immunogold silver detection systems. TGF-beta 1 mRNA was only detected in carcinomas in which TGF-beta 1 protein was found (9 of 16 cases) and not in those with prominent reactivity for TGF-beta 2. RNA preservation was poor in two other cases in which TGF-beta 1 protein had been detected. In general, those tumours with greater numbers of cells labelled for TGF-beta 1 mRNA had prominent reactivity for TGF-beta 1 protein. The mRNA was localized to cancer cells with no labelling of stromal cells, although in a small number of cases scanty staining for TGF-beta 1 protein had been observed in stromal cells. The incidence of detection of TGF-beta 1 mRNA is lower than the published data from Northern analysis studies of breast carcinomas, suggesting that only higher levels of TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression are being detected by in situ hybridization. However, this approach has provided useful information about the cellular sites of expression of TGF-beta 1 in breast carcinomas.
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta