Endocytosis of pro-cathepsin D into breast cancer cells is mostly independent of mannose-6-phosphate receptors.

Cathepsin D trafficking is altered in cancer cells, leading to increased secretion of the pro-enzyme, which can be reinternalized by the same cancer cells and by stromal cells. We studied pro-cathepsin D endocytosis in two human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB231, MCF-7) and in human normal fibroblasts. Pro-enzyme uptake was studied indirectly through immunofluorescence analysis of anti-pro-cathepsin D monoclonal antibodies internalized in living cells.

Adenomatous transformation of the human anterior pituitary is associated with alterations in integrin expression.

Integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane molecules that mediate cell-cell and cell-substratum adhesion. Because alterations in the adhesive properties of tumor cells influence tumor growth and progression, the distribution of different alpha and beta integrin subunits was studied in both the parenchyma and the connective tissue in 6 normal and 25 adenomatous human anterior pituitaries. All normal parenchymal cells expressed the alpha3beta1 and alpha6beta4 integrins.

Fibronectin isoforms are differentially expressed in normal and adenomatous human anterior pituitaries.

The expression of fibronectin (FN) isoforms containing the extradomains A and B (ED-A+ and ED-B+ FNs) as well as a differentially O-glycosylated oncofetal form of the protein (onf-FN) was investigated in 6 normal human anterior pituitaries and 25 human pituitary adenomas. In normal tissue, immunohistochemical experiments showed the presence of FN molecules lacking the extradomains A and B (ED-A- and ED-B- FNs) without onf-FN immunoreactivity. These proteins were localized in the connective tissue compartment and especially in the vessel walls.

Immunohistochemical localization of different laminin isoforms in human normal and adenomatous anterior pituitary.

Background: Laminin (LM) is an integral component of basement membranes (BM), with important roles in various aspects of cell biology. Several different isoforms of LM have been described, and each comprises a molecule consisting of three subunit polypeptides, the A, B1, B2, M or S chain.

Experimental Design: The distribution of different LM subunits was studied in human nontumoral anterior pituitaries obtained postmortem and in pituitary adenomas by immunocytochemical methods using specific monoclonal antibodies.

Interactions between normal and tumoral tissues at the boundary of human anterior pituitary adenomas. An immunohistochemical study.

We studied the boundary between adenoma and peritumoral anterior pituitary tissues in order to understand their mutual interactions during tumour progression. We selected 18 adenomas of different secretory type, grade and invasiveness in which fragments of peritumoral anterior pituitary were still attached to the adenoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed on serial sections with markers of the basement membranes (type IV collagen), the hormone-producing cells of the normal and neoplastic anterior pituitary, and the folliculo-stellate cells (S-100 protein).