Secretory component in human mammary carcinoma
Harris, J.P.; Caleb, M.H.; South, M.A.
Cancer Research 35(7): 1861-1864
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-5472 PMID: 1093678 Document Number: 94091
Using indirect immunofluorescence microscopy with antisera to human free secretory component, normal mammary gland tissue (10 cases) showed fluorescent epithelial cells confined to normal ducts. In contrast, invasive mammary carcinomas (20 cases) showed intense staining of tumour cells and stromal cells in addition to the normal ductular epithelium. In both normal and tumour tissue, anti-immunoglobulin A stained only ducts and subepithelial plasma cells, thus establishing that the secretory component in tumour cells was not part of an intact secretory immunoglobulin A molecule.