title: Vitronectin in human breast carcinomas.
abstract: We have analysed the occurrence of the extracellular glycoprotein vitronectin in carcinomas and normal tissue of human breast. Immunohistochemical analysis of carcinomas revealed a strong vitronectin accumulation in extracellular matrix (ECM) around some cancer cell clusters and in the subendothelial area of some blood vessels. In normal tissue, vitronectin had a homogeneous periductal occurrence, with local accumulation much lower than that in the carcinomas. Using a new solid phase radioligand assay, the vitronectin concentrations of extracts of carcinomas and normal breast tissue were determined and found to be indistinguishable. Comparison of the vitronectin and the hemoglobin concentrations of the extracts showed that their vitronectin content was not derived from blood contamination. Vitronectin mRNA was undetectable in both carcinomas and normal tissue. We conclude that vitronectin is not synthesised locally in breast tissue but derived by leakage from vessels, followed by extracellular accumulation in patterns distinctly different in carcinomas and normal tissue. The observation of a high vitronectin content in the carcinomas and its localisation in the tissue contributes to the clarification of the role of vitronectin in tumour biology in interaction with the plasminogen activation system and integrins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cellular Protein Science, Department for Molecular Biology, Aarhus University, Gustav Wied's Vej 10C, DK-8000 C, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mads
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aaboe
authors.forename: Birgitte V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Offersen
authors.forename: Anni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Andreasen
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001940:Breast / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D019096:Vitronectin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019096:Vitronectin