[Identification of a tumor antigen associated to the estrogen receptor in axillary lymph nodes of breast cancer patients].
Sixteen axillary lymph nodes were incubated with sera from patients with mammary carcinoma. Using immunofluorescence staining sera recognized antigenic determinants on follicular dendritic cells (FDC) within the follicle centers. These results were confirmed with isolated and cultured FDC that were incubated with the same sera. All the results were negative with normal sera. We also found a cell population positively reacting with a monoclonal antibody against an estrogen receptor associated protein (ERAP) in subcapsular and cortical sinusae and germinal centers. Phenotype identification of ERAP+ cells indicated that they presented characteristics of macrophages and FDC respectively. Lymph nodes from other malignancies were negative for ERAP. These findings suggest that the tumoral antigen could be either the protein associated with the estrogen receptor or the receptor itself. The ERAP could be transported by the macrophages from the tumor to the regional lymph nodes where it could be processed and maintained during a long time by FDC, since it is known that these are the most efficient antigen presenting cells.
Laguens
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G
Cátedra de Patología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina.
Di Girolamo
V
V
Spinelli
O
O
Laguens
R P
RP
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008264:Macrophages; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen