Immunohistochemical localisation of progesterone and oestrogen receptors at the placental interface in mares during early pregnancy

Previous reports documenting progesterone receptors (PR) and oestrogen receptors (ER) in the endometrium of early pregnant mares included specimens only up to Day 20 post ovulation. This study aimed to localise PR and ERα on equine feto-maternal tissues between Days 20 and 68 to encompass the period around fixation of the conceptus, development of the endometrial cups and attachment and initial interdigitation of the allantochorion. During early pregnancy mares had the same pattern of PR in the endometrium as that reported for other mammals; namely, a loss of PR from the endometrial epithelia but continued localisation in stromal cells. The spatial arrangement of ERα over the same time period showed cytoplasmic staining of endometrial epithelia and in the nuclei of occasional stromal cells. In the fetal tissues, no cells had PR although ERα was evident in some tissue compartments. No major change in localisation of either receptor was noted throughout the time period examined despite important changes occurring at the placental interface. Nevertheless, these steroid receptor molecules probably play important roles in the production of histotroph and growth factors by the endometrium which go on to stimulate differentiation and growth of the feto-maternal tissues.     

Expression of oestrogen receptor-beta in invasive breast tumours

Steroid hormone receptors are used routinely to predict endocrine responsiveness in patients with breast cancer. Two oestrogen receptors (ERs): ER alpha and ER beta have been identified. Although ER alpha and ER beta genes share a large degree of homology, it is generally thought that their distribution and function are substantially different in many tissues. Both of them may be expressed in normal and neoplastic tissues of the breast. While much is known about ER alpha, the role of ER beta is still undefined, especially at the protein level. Recent development of reliable antibodies to ER beta has provided opportunity to test immunohistochemical reactions detecting ER beta in archival breast tumours. The aim of our study was to learn more about the cellular mechanisms underlying the relationship of ER beta and progesterone receptor (PR) in breast cancer tissues, discriminating between hormone-dependent and hormone-independent tumours. ER alpha and PR content of tumour tissues of 154 patients with breast cancer were tested by in situ indirect immunohistochemical method parallel with ligand binding biochemical assay. ER beta was detected in 8 ER alpha-/PR+ breast carcinomas by immunohistochemical method too. Steroid hormone receptor content was analysed comparing to the histologic type and grading of the tumours. CONCLUSIONS: A considerable part of breast carcinomas belongs to the ER+/PR+ and ER-/PR- groups. About 1-2% of the tumours is expected to be ER alpha-/ER beta+/PR+ type. In such cases ER alpha negative reaction together with PR positivity can signal the necessity of the immunohistochemical detection of ER beta in routine histopathological practice, presenting the precise steroid hormone receptor status for the most effective endocrine therapy of the patients.     

Oestradiol Up-regulates Oestrogen Receptor, Cyclophilin, and Glyceraldehyde Phosphate Dehydrogenase mRNA Concentrations in Endometrium, but Down-regulates Them in Liver

Oestradiol regulates reproductive physiology and cardiovascular health in women. In the endometrium of ovariectomized ewes, previous work demonstrated that a single dose of oestradiol (50 μg) up-regulates oestrogen receptor- (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) gene expression within 24 h. Here we compared responses to different doses of oestradiol and different dosing regimens in two diverse tissues: endometrium and liver. ER, c-fos, cyclophilin and glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA concentrations were analyzed on replicate RNA slot blots in both tissues, while PR and apolipoprotein AI (apo AI) mRNA concentrations were only analyzed in endometrium or liver, respectively. Along with ER mRNA, oestradiol strongly up-regulated GAPDH and cyclophilin mRNA concentrations in endometrium. In liver, however, oestradiol down-regulated them, along with apo AI mRNA. Responses to different doses and dose regimens, including repeated 50 μg doses, were similar to those evoked by a single 50 μg dose of oestradiol. Thus, oestradiol appears to have all-or-none effects which include up-regulation of ER, cyclophilin and GAPDH gene expression in endometrium and down-regulation of ER, apo AI, cyclophilin and GAPDH gene expression in liver. These results illustrate the sharp contrast between two mammalian tissues in their responses to physiological levels of oestradiol.     

Detection of estrogen alpha and progesterone receptors and cell proliferation in the uterus during early pregnancy in the goat

The objectives of this study were to investigate in the goat uterus the expression of estrogen-alpha (ER alpha) and progesterone receptors (PR) and their relationship to proliferation indices (Ki-67) during peri-implantation on Days 22 to 30 post coitum (pc). Immunohistochemical methods were used to quantify ER alpha and PR for luminal and deep regions of the endometrium and of the myometrium. On Day 22 pc cell proliferation was only observed in the luminal epithelium. On Day 24 pc, high cell proliferation indices were seen in luminal epithelium and proliferation began in the luminal stroma and glands. There was a positive correlation between Ki-67 and total ER alpha score in the luminal epithelium (r = 0.53, P < 0.01). Levels of PR scores were highly correlated with Ki-67 indices in luminal epithelium (r = 0.74, P < 0.01) and stroma (r = 0.70, P < 0.01). No Ki-67 expression was observed in deep glands, stroma or myometrium on any of the days studied. Results indicate that patterns of ER alpha and PR expression differ markedly, and that there was a high correlation between PR expression and cell proliferation in the caprine uterus during the peri-implantation period.     

Immunocytochemical analysis of estrogen and progestin receptors in uteri of steroid-treated and pregnant cats.

The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of estrogen receptors (ER) and progestin receptors (PR) in specific uterine cell populations during various steroid hormone treatment regimens, and to determine if ER and PR distribution in the uterus is altered during implantation and the establishment of pregnancy in the cat. The tissues were processed for indirect immunocytochemical localization of receptors using specific monoclonal antibodies against ER and PR. ER were present in the nuclei of all epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts in endometrium obtained from ovariectomized animals, whereas PR were only detectable in the nuclei of stromal fibroblasts. There was an apparent increase in the staining intensity and number of nuclei that stained positively for both ER and PR in all cell populations after 14 days of estradiol treatment. The administration of progesterone for 14 and 21 days, in the presence or absence of continuous estradiol, reduced the apparent intensity of staining and the number of nuclei staining positively for both ER and PR. ER were undetectable in the luminal epithelium, but remained in the glandular epithelial cells and stromal fibroblasts, whereas PR were only detectable in stromal fibroblasts. ER and PR localization in the endometrium obtained from estrus animals was similar to that observed in the estradiol-treated animals. A general decrease in intensity of staining for both ER and PR was evident by Day 5 postcoitus in pregnant animals. This decrease in intensity of staining continued until Day 12 postcoitus, when the distributions of ER and PR were similar to those observed in the ovariectomized estradiol-primed, progesterone-treated animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Changes in equine endometrial oestrogen receptor alpha and progesterone receptor mRNAs during the oestrous cycle, early pregnancy and after treatment with exogenous steroids

Two experiments were performed to determine changes in the abundance of oestrogen and progesterone receptor (ER alpha and PR) mRNAs in equine endometrium during the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy, and under the influence of exogenous steroids. In Expt 1, endometrial biopsies were obtained from non-mated mares during oestrus and at days 5, 10 and 15 after ovulation, and from pregnant mares at days 10, 15 and 20 after ovulation. There were overall effects of day on the abundance of ER alpha (P = 0.0001) and PR (P = 0.0014) mRNAs. The amount of ER alpha mRNA decreased at day 10 of pregnancy, and PR mRNA was reduced at day 5 in non-mated mares and at day 15 of pregnancy, compared with oestrous values. Experiment 2 was conducted to determine the effects of exogenous steroids on endometrial ER alpha and PR mRNAs. Endometrial biopsies were obtained from 19 anoestrous mares that had been treated with vehicle, oestradiol, progesterone, or oestradiol followed by progesterone for either a short or a long duration. The steroid treatment affected the abundance of ER alpha mRNA (P = 0.0420), which was higher (P < 0.05) in the oestradiol group than in the group treated with oestradiol followed by long duration progesterone. The steroid treatment did not affect the abundance of PR mRNA. These results demonstrate that the amount of steroid receptor mRNA changes with the fluctuating steroid environment in the uterine endometrium of cyclic and early pregnant mares, and that the duration of progesterone dominance may affect ER alpha gene expression. In addition, factors other than steroids may regulate ER alpha and PR gene expression in equine uterine endometrium.     

The effects of endometrial scarification on uterine steroid receptors, bacterial flora and histological structure in the bitch.

Following laparotomy, the endometrium of six nulliparous Beagle bitches was scarified at the base of one uterine horn during early metoestrus, when the peripheral plasma P(4) concentration was >10 ng/ml; intrauterine swabs were taken at the same time for bacteriological culture. Twenty-one days later, a bilateral ovariohysterectomy was performed and segments of the scarified and non-scarified parts of the tubular genital tract removed; at the same time, swabs were taken from the uterine lumen. Tissue samples were collected and examined for histopathological structure, and the presence of nuclear oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors using an immunocytochemical method. The immunoreactivity was scored semiquantitatively, incorporating both the intensity and distribution of specific staining of the receptors using a simplified histoscore (H-score).All uterine swabs were sterile, and in three of the six bitches there were noticeable changes with distension of the uterine lumen with secretions and debris and distension of the endometrial gland ducts of the scarified uterine segment. There were no statistically significant differences in the H-scores of ER or PR between scarified and non-scarified segments, except for PR H-scores in the glandular epithelium where the values for the scarified were significantly higher than for the non-scarified endometrium (mean+/-S.E.M. is 129.9+/-22.8 versus 59.5+/-12.6; P<0.05). Thus, trauma can modify the structure of the endometrium and the characteristics of the PR. Whether changes in PR expression are involved in the pathogenesis of CEH/pyometra in the bitch could not be ascertained from this study.     

Decreased expression of survivin, estrogen and progesterone receptors in endometrial tissues after radiofrequency treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The purpose of the research is to study the histopathology and expression of survivin, estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PR) in the endometrium of patients with dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) treated with adiofrequency endometrial ablation (REA). METHODS: A total of 98 DUB patients were enrolled in this case-control study. Among them, 66 underwent REA treatment and 32 optioned for hormone therapy as the control group. Immunohistochemical analysis for survivin, ER and PR expression was carried out on endometrial tissue samples collected before and 6 to 7 months after treatment for both groups. RESULTS: Both hormone and REA treatment ameliorated menstrual bleeding of DUB patients, with the latter showing a significantly higher effective rate. Endometrial surface tissue was replaced by fibrosis tissue in the REA treatment group. REA treatment also significantly reduced the expression of survivin, ER, and PR. Endometrial surface tissues collected from the hormonetreated control group neither showed any apparent morphological alteration nor in the expression of those receptors. CONCLUSIONS: REA treatment changed endometrial surface tissue type from gland rich to gland poor, and significantly decreased the expression of survivin, ER, and PR. This may be an important contributing mechanism for the long-term curative effect and prevention of DUB recurrence.     

Effects of onapristone on postmenopausal endometrium

The progesterone antagonist mifepristone (RU486, Exelgyn) has been shown to exert a paradoxical agonist effect on postmenopausal endometrium. We conducted a study to investigate the effects of the 'pure' antiprogestin onapristone (ZK 98 299, Schering AG) on postmenopausal endometrium. Seventeen postmenopausal subjects (45-62 years), took 2 mg of oestradiol and either placebo, 1 mg onapristone or 10 mg of onapristone, daily for 56 days. An endometrial biopsy was performed during the final week of treatment and assessed for histology and immunohistochemistry for oestrogen receptors (ER), progesterone (PR), androgen receptors (AR) and the cell proliferation marker Ki 67. FSH fell in all 14 subjects who completed the study, consistent with the effect of oestradiol treatment. There was a dose-dependent additive effect of onapristone on suppression of gonadotrophins. All endometrial biopsies showed proliferative endometrium. A similar pattern and intensity of immunostaining of ER, PR and Ki 67 was observed in all groups, with positive immunoreactivity in both glands and stroma. AR immunostaining was observed in both glands and stroma from all subjects, but there was an increase in intensity of immunostaining within the glandular epithelium of women receiving 10 mg onapristone. The antiprogestin onapristone, in contrast to mifepristone, is not agonistic on postmenopausal endometrium and does not exert obvious antiproliferative effects. It does however cause a dose dependent suppression of FSH and LH release.     

扬子鳄卵巢性类固醇激素受体的免疫细胞化学研究

为探讨扬子鳄卵巢内不同性类固醇激素受体在卵泡发育中的调控作用,研究采用组织学和免疫细胞化学方法,运用激光共聚焦显微镜,对扬子鳄不同发育时期卵泡中的雌激素受体、雄激素受体和孕激素受体进行了检测。结果发现,3种类固醇激素受体在卵巢各期滤泡细胞中均有表达,在4月Ⅱ-Ⅳ期卵泡的滤泡细胞中阳性反应最强;9月卵巢的滤泡细胞中阳性反应最弱;ER和AR不仅在各期滤泡细胞中存在阳性位点,在6月卵泡的卵母细胞胞质中也有表达。结果说明,在扬子鳄卵母细胞生长发育和成熟过程中,3种激素受体通过与其对应的激素结合对滤泡细胞的发育、卵黄的合成与积累以及排卵起着重要的调控作用。       

The non-DNA-binding heterooligomeric form of mammalian steroid hormone receptors contains a hsp90-bound 59-kilodalton protein

Untransformed cytosol receptors for progesterone (PR), androgen (AR), estrogen (ER), and glucocorticosteroid (GR) in rabbit tissues contain a 59-kDa protein (p59) (Tai, P.K.K., Maeda, Y., Nakao, K., Wakim, N.G., Duhring, J.L., and Faber, L.E. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 5269-5275) and a 90-kDa heat shock protein (hsp90). In the present study, receptors from calf uterus (PR, AR, ER, and GR) and from human breast cancer MCF7 cells (PR and GR) were also shown to be comprised of hsp90 and p59. These heterooligomer receptor complexes were stabilized both by transition metal oxyanions (molybdate and tungstate) and chemical cross-linking with dimethylpimelimidate. In 0.4 M KCl, tungstate-stabilized (but not molybdate-stabilized) PR, AR, ER, and GR retained hsp90, but lost p59. Dimethylpimelimidate cross-linking prevented p59 dissociation from hsp90-receptor complexes. Stabilization with tungstate and/or cross-linking permitted immunoaffinity purification of untransformed rabbit as well as calf PR and ER on EC1-Affi-Gel 10 column (an anti-p59 immunoadsorbant). Combined immunoaffinity purification and cross-linking experiments indicated that p59 is bound to hsp90 in the cytosol. We propose that in the nontransformed steroid receptor, p59 interacts with hsp90 rather than with the hormone binding subunit.     

Fine needle aspirate cell blocks are reliable for detection of hormone receptors and HER‐2 by immunohistochemistry in breast carcinoma

S. P. Bueno Angela, R. M. Viero and C. T. Soares Fine needle aspirate cell blocks are reliable for detection of hormone receptors and HER‐2 by immunohistochemistry in breast carcinoma Aims: To evaluate the reliability of fine needle aspirate cell blocks in the assessment of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER‐2/neu proteins by immunohistochemistry in comparison with surgical specimens. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study of 62 cases of breast carcinoma diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and confirmed using the surgical specimen. Immunohistochemical tests were performed to assess the presence of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER‐2/neu proteins in cell blocks and the corresponding surgical specimens. The cell block method used alcohol prior to formalin fixation. Cases with 10% or more stained cells were considered positive for ER and PR. Positivity for HER‐2/neu was assessed on a scale of 0–3+. The criterion for positivity was a score of 3+. Results: Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of the cell blocks in the investigation of ER, PR and HER‐2/neu protein (3+) were (%): ER, 92.7, 85.7, 92.7, 85.7 and 90.3; PR, 92.7, 94.7, 97.4, 87.0 and 93.5; HER‐2/neu, 70.0, 100.0, 100.0, 94.5 and 95.2. Discrepancies were seen in cell blocks in the 1+ and 2+ HER‐2/neu staining scores: two of 12 cases scoring 2+ and one case of 26 scoring 1+ on cell blocks scored 3+ on surgical specimens. The correlation index between cell block and corresponding surgical specimen varied from 90% to 94%. Conclusion: Cell blocks provide a useful method of assessing ER, PR and HER‐2/neu, mainly for inoperable and recurrent cases, but consideration should be given to carrying out FISH analysis on 1+ as well as 2+ HER‐2/neu results.     

Immunochemistry for oestrogen receptor,progesterone receptor and HER2 on cell blocks in primary breast carcinoma

K. Kumar S, N. Gupta, A. Rajwanshi, K. Joshi and G. Singh Immunochemistry for oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 on cell blocks in primary breast carcinoma Objective: Steroid receptors and human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) have been used for predicting response to treatment in breast cancers. Fine needle aspiration cytology can provide highly cellular material and can be used for such analysis. The present study was undertaken to assess the reliability of oestrogen and progesterone receptor (ER, PR) status and HER2 as demonstrated by immunochemistry (IHC) on cell blocks from breast carcinoma cases, in comparison with histological sections. Methods: IHC for ER, PR and HER2 was performed on cell blocks and their corresponding tissue sections of 50 primary pre‐chemotherapy breast carcinomas. Positivity for ER and PR was scored according to the Allred scoring system. Strong membranous positivity in more than 30% of tumour cells was considered positive for HER2. The tumours were classified as luminal A, luminal B, HER2‐over‐expressing and triple negative on the basis of ER, PR and HER2 status and results on cell blocks compared with histological sections. Results: Correlation between immunostaining on cell blocks and the corresponding tumour tissues revealed a concordance rate for ER, PR and HER2 of 90% [Correlation coefficient (r) = 0.79], 94% (r = 0.86) and 90% (r = 0.76), respectively. Including five cases in which cell blocks were either ER or PR positive, 43/50 cases (86.0%) could be correctly classified on cell block immunostaining alone. The main reasons for seven discordant cases included technical errors (sampling error and staining error) and interpretational error in HER2 evaluation on cell blocks; the core biopsy was inadequate in one, and apparently false negative for HER2 in another. Conclusion: Cell blocks are useful in the assessment of hormone receptor status and HER2 by IHC, especially in cases of locally advanced breast cancer for planning neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It is highly recommended to have good quality cell blocks and quality control of their interpretation.     

Endometrial stromal sarcoma expression of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and estrogen-induced srp27 (24K) suggests hormone responsiveness

The endometrial stroma plays a decisive role in sustaining the gland epithelium along the menstrual cycle, and in preparing the microenvironment that allows embryo implantation. The stroma undergoes important changes during the menstrual cycle that affects both the cell number and differentiation. These changes are regulated by both estrogen and progesterone.

Stromal sarcomas are extremely rare, occuring much less than any other uterine tumor. Their origin and biology are poorly understood. The purpose of this work was to try to learn more about the stromal physiology, and also to ascertain whether the stromal sarcoma has characteristics of hormone dependence. We studied the presence of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and the stress-responsive protein of 27K (srp27, a protein first described as an estrogen-induced 24K protein in MCF-7 cells) in both normal stroma and stromal sarcoma. The ER and PR were measured by exchange assays. The srp 27 was studied both by Western-blot and by IHC by means of specific monoclonal antibodies.

The stromal sarcomas studied showed a high concentration of both ER (96 to 116 fmol/mg prot.) and PR (565 to 995 fmol/mg prot.). These amounts of ER and PR were higher than the mean found in normal endometrium during the proliferative phase (43 and 637 fmol/mg prot., respectively), and much higher than that of the secretory phase (17 and 229 fmol/mg prot., respectively). The srp27 characterized by Western-blot in both the normal stroma and stromal sarcoma was found to be similar to the srp27 of breast cancer. The IHC results showed a very low expression of srp27 in the stroma during the proliferative phase that increases when the endometrium enters the secretory phase. The low-malignancy grade stromal sarcomas showed abundant expression of srp27, but the high-malignancy grade sarcomas showed no expression of srp27.

The obtained results prove the stroma capability to express the srp27. A negative correlation between malignancy of stromal tumors and srp27 expression was found. The presence of ER and PR in some stromal sarcomas proves that they have characteristics of hormone responsiveness. These findings suggest that ER and PR assays should be routinely performed in stromal sarcomas as well as in endometrial adenocarcinomas, and also that antiestrogenic drugs might be considered for the treatment of ER and PR positive stromal sarcomas.     

Expression of hormone receptors predicts survival and platinum sensitivity of high-grade serous ovarian cancer

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has abundant expression of hormone receptors, including androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor α (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR). The effects of hormone receptors on prognosis of HGSOC were first evaluated in online databases. Their prognostic values were then explored and validated in our inhouse TJ-cohort (92 HGSOC patients) and in a validation cohort (33 HGSOC patients), wherein hormone receptors were detected immunohistochemically. High expression of hormone receptors denoted longer progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and platinum-free interval (PFI). Platinum-sensitive patients had higher expression of hormone receptors than their counterparts. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between hormone receptors expression and survival. AR, ER, and PR had predictive and prognostic values, alone and in combination. By receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, co-expression of AR, ER, and PR had an improved predictive performance with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.945. Expression of hormone receptors predicts survival and platinum sensitivity of HGSOC. AR, ER, and PR might be feasible prognostic biomarkers for HGSOC by immunohistochemical analysis.     

Expression of progesterone and oestrogen receptors by early intrauterine equine conceptuses

Progesterone and oestrogen play essential roles in the maintenance of pregnancy in eutherian mammals and are thought to exert their effects on the developing conceptus indirectly, via the endometrium. In some species, early embryos have themselves been shown to express steroid receptors, thereby suggesting that reproductive steroids may also influence embryonic development directly. The aim of this study was to determine whether early intrauterine equine conceptuses express either the classical intracellular progesterone (PR) and oestrogen receptors (ERalpha and ERbeta) or the more recently characterised membrane-bound progesterone receptors (PGRMC1 and mPR). Horse conceptuses recovered on days 7, 10 and 14 after ovulation (n=8 at each stage) were examined for steroid receptor mRNA expression using quantitative rtPCR. Where commercial antibodies were available (PR, ERbeta), receptor localisation was examined immunohistochemically in day 10, 12, 14, 15 and 16 conceptuses (n=2 at each stage). mRNA for PR, PGRMC1 and mPR was detected at all stages examined, but while PGRMC1 and mPR expression increased during the day 7-14 period, PR expression decreased. ERalpha mRNA was not detected at any stage examined, whereas ERbeta mRNA was detected in all day 14, some day 10 and no day 7 conceptuses. Immunoreactive ERbeta receptors were localised to the trophectoderm of day 14-16 conceptuses; PR were not detected immunohistochemically in conceptus tissue. In summary, this study demonstrates that equine conceptuses express mRNA and, in the case of ERbeta, protein for steroid hormone receptors during the period encompassing rapid conceptus growth, differentiation and maternal pregnancy recognition.     

Correlation of immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical determination of estrogen and progesterone receptors in breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the degree of correlation between immunocytochemical (ICC) and immunohistochemical (IHC) determination of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) in breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of 101 primary breast cancers were immunostained for ER and PR. They were compared with similar determinations in formalin-fixed paraffin sections of biopsies from the same patients. In cases of discrepancy, the histologic result was considered the gold standard. RESULTS: For ER a cytohistologic correlation of 94%, with a sensitivity of 96.1% and specificity of 86.9%, was found. For PR the cytohistologic correlation was 71.2%, with a sensitivity of 65.7% and specificity of 83.8%. CONCLUSION: ICC determination of hormone receptors in routinely fixed smears obtained by FNAC is a simple method that correlates adequately with the results of IHC determinations, especially for ER.     

p53 protein expression and oestrogen and progesterone receptor status in invasive ductal breast carcinomas

p53 protein expression and oestrogen and progesterone receptor status in invasive ductal breast carcinomas The p53 protein expression and oestrogen and progesterone receptors status was investigated in correlation to the grade of malignancy of primary breast carcinomas. Our material constituted imprints from surgical biopsies of 75 invasive ductal breast cancer cases. The p53 protein expression was investigated immunocytologically using the monoclonal antibody p53 DO-7 (DAKO). A biochemical DCC method was applied for the detection of oestrogen and progesterone receptors for all tumours. Fifty-one percent of breast cancer cases were p53 protein positive. A statistically significant association of p53 protein expression and high tumour grade was found (chi2=23.72, d.f.=2, P < 0.001). A statistically significant association was also found between oestrogen and progesterone receptor positive cases and the grade of malignancy (P < 0.001). A negative association between p53 protein expression and oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) positivity was found. From our results it appears that it is possible to distinguish from grade II tumours two subgroups of cases, one with low malignancy potential and p53 (-), ER (+), PgR (+), and another subgroup with high malignancy potential and phenotype p53 (+), ER (-), PgR (-). The last subset of patients could actually benefit from adjuvant therapy.     

Distribution of estrogen and progesteron receptors in the uterus: an immunohistochemical study in the immature and adult pseudopregnant rabbit.

In order to clarify the distribution and content of estrogen (ER) and progesteron receptors (PR) under changing hormonal influences within the various cell populations of the uterus (glandular and luminal endometrial epithelium, stroma, myometrium), immunohistochemical determinations using specific monoclonal antibodies were made. To correlate the immunohistochemical findings with peripheral hormone levels and specific tasks of the endometrium, 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone serum levels were measured and cell proliferation determined by use of BrdU-labelling-immunohistochemistry. At the subcellular level ER and PR were located exclusively in the cell nuclei of female rabbits, which were either immature and lacking any peripheral hormone levels or were pseudopregnant (d0-d8 p.hCG). In the immature rabbits a general faint ER and PR immunostaining was found. In addition to a general increase in ER and PR in all cell populations estrous rabbits (d0 p.hCG) showed a significant rise of ER in the epithelial cells and of PR in the myometrium. Within the epithelial cells and the myometrium the ER dropped heavily within a few days of pseudopregnancy. The PR, however, increased sharply during the first two days of pseudopregnancy and decreased gradually following d4 p.hCG. A close relationship was observed between the high PR content and the proliferation rate of the epithelial cells on d2 p.hCG. In spite of the more rapid decrease of ER compared with PR, the glandular epithelium retained positive immunostaining. In the stroma the ER and especially PR content did not change significantly during the course of pseudopregnancy suggesting that some of the well-known differentiation events in the luminal epithelium may be mediated by the stroma.