title: Neuroendocrine markers are expressed in human mammary glands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regulatory peptides have previously been detected in epithelial cells of human mammary glands. As these peptides are produced by scattered neuroendocrine cells in the epithelium of other tissues the aim of this study was to investigate whether the mammary glands express molecular markers for neuroendocrine cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens from 28 human mammary glands were retrieved. The distribution of immunoreactive cells was determined using immunohistochemistry with antibodies versus a set of endocrine markers including peptide hormones, chromogranins/secretogranins, vesicular monoamine transporters, synaptophysin, serotonin and synaptic vesicle protein 2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cells of the luminal epithelium of ducts and lobules of human mammary glands expressed vesicular monoamine transporter 2 and chromogranin B, as well as the previously reported regulatory peptides obestatin, ghrelin, adrenomedullin and apelin. Using consecutive sections, it was revealed that the immunoreactivity patterns of the regulatory peptides and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 were similar. Interestingly, immunoreactivity for secretogranin II, secretogranin III and chromogranin B was identified in myoepithelial cells. No immunoreactivity was detected for chromogranin A or synaptophysin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specific cells in the epithelium and myoepithelium of mammary glands express neuroendocrine markers suggesting that mammary glands may have neuroendocrine functions.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Medical Sciences, Section of Endocrine Oncology, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. malin.gronberg@medsci.uu.se
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grönberg
authors.forename: Rose-Marie
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stridsberg
authors.forename: Eva T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saras
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D055099:Neuroendocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D036361:Peptide Hormones