title: Loss of transporter in antigen processing 1 transport protein and major histocompatibility complex class I molecules in metastatic versus primary breast cancer.
abstract: We studied by immunohistochemistry the HLA-allelic, beta 2-microglobulin, and TAP-1 expression in primary breast carcinomas and related lymph node metastases. Thirty-three of the primary tumors and 44% of the lymph node metastases had a complete HLA class I loss. The higher incidence of antigenic loss in metastatic tumors suggests that recognition of HLA class I antigens by the host immunity could have an important role in the metastatic evolution of breast cancer. We observed a simultaneous defective expression of all three components involved in HLA class I expression. Since the controlling genes of heavy chain and TAP-1 are located in different chromosome than beta 2-microglobulin, it could be that a common factor exists regulating HLA class I antigenic expression. Five of 25 (20%) primary and metastatic tumors from HLA-A2-positive individuals also had a selective loss. The high incidence of HLA class I loss in breast cancer patients shows that adjuvant immunotherapy to induce HLA class I expression could be of value in a subgroup of patients.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Pathology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaklamanis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koukourakis
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Gatter
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000071181:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000071181:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C073119:TAP1 protein, human; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin