title: Assessment of quantitative and qualitative changes of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans in normal breast tissue during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle.
abstract: The effect of sex hormones on extracellular matrix compounds, such as proteoglycans (PGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), in mammary tissue remains poorly understood. The elucidation of extracellular matrix component functions could clarify pathophysiological conditions, such as cyclical mastalgia (breast pain). The authors examined the quantitative and qualitative changes of PGs and GAGs in normal breast tissue during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Twenty-eight eumenorrheic patients with benign breast nodules were divided into groups: Group A included 15 follicular patients and Group B included 13 luteal phase patients. Breast tissue adjacent to the nodules was biochemically analyzed to evaluate the types and concentrations of PGS and GAGs. The distribution of proteoglycans during the menstrual cycle was analyzed with immunofluorescence. PG concentrations were elevated (p < 0.01) during the luteal phase compared with the follicular phase, whereas the concentrations of GAGs did not differ significantly. Immunofluorescence revealed that decorin was mainly found in the intralobular stroma. PG concentrations were elevated during the luteal phase, likely due to the influence of sex hormones on macromolecular synthesis. The PG decorin was observed in normal breast tissue in the intralobular stroma. Although the concentration of GAGs, including dermatan and heparan sulfate, varied cyclically, the differences were not significant.
authors.forename: J A Dos Santos
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Júnior
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Y M C da Silva
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Michelacci
authors.forename: A C Pinto
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nazário
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D011509:Proteoglycans