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Figure 1 | Breast Cancer Research

Figure 1

From: Overexpression of β1-chain-containing laminins in capillary basement membranes of human breast cancer and its metastases

Figure 1

Immunohistochemistry of human breast tissues including normal, DCIS, primary IDC and metastases. (a) Panels A–D: hematoxylin and eosin staining of normal breast, DCIS, IDC and metastatic tissues, respectively. Panels E–H: double immunostaining with laminin α4 (red) and an endothelial marker, von Willebrand factor/factor-8 (F8; green). Panels I–L: double immunostaining with laminin β1 (red) and an endothelial marker von Willebrand factor (F8, green). Panels M–P: double immunostaining for laminin β2 (red) and F8 (green). For each representative case, serial sections are shown. (b) Panels A–D: hematoxylin and eosin staining (same as in Fig. 1a, panels A–D). Panels Q–T: double immunostaining for laminin α4 chain (red) and lining epithelium markers cytokeratins (CK)-8/18 (green). Panels U–X: double immunostaining for laminin β1 (red) and CK-8/18 (green). For each case, serial sections to Fig. 1a are shown. Because of lack of appropriate antibodies, no double staining could be performed for laminin β2 chain and CK-8/18. In normal breast tissues, laminin-9 chains α4 and β2 are expressed in BMs of mammary gland ducts (arrows in Fig. 1a, panels E and M, and Fig. 1b, panel Q) and blood vessels. In DCIS laminin α4 chain starts disappearing from ductal BMs (Fig. 1a, panel F, and Fig. 1b, panel R) but β2 chain is present (Fig. 1a, panel N [arrows]). Laminin-8 chains α4 and β1 and laminin-9 chains α4 and β2 colocalize in some microvessels. In all invasive ductal carcinomas, laminin-8 α4 and β1 chains are both found in BMs of F8-positive microvessels (Fig. 1a, panels G and K). Laminin-9 is absent (no β2 chain; Fig. 1a, panel O). In metastases of breast carcinoma, laminin-8 chains are seen in microvascular BMs (Fig. 1a, panels H and L; Fig. 1b, panels T and X) but laminin-9 is absent again (no β2 chain; Fig. 1a, panel P). BM, basement membrane; DCIS, ductal carcinoma in situ; IDC, invasive ductal carcinoma.

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