Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Prostate‐specific antigen found in Type I breast cyst fluids is a secretory product of the apocrine cells lining breast gross cysts

  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Prostate‐specific antigen (PSA), a serine protease thought to be exclusively produced by the prostate epithelial cells, has been recently found in human breast tissues and fluids. PSA in breast cancer is associated with the presence of steroid‐hormones and receptors, and its presence seems to be a favourable prognostic indicator. In order to clarify whether the cells lining breast cysts may represent the source of PSA found in human breast cyst fluid, we performed an ultrastructural immunolocalization of PSA in the cells surrounding Type I breast cysts, obtained from breast cyst fluids of women affected by breast gross cystic disease, the most commonly occurring benign breast lesions associated with increased cancer risk. These apocrine cells show morphological features typical of actively synthesizing and secreting cells, and a PSA labelling distributed on free ribosomes, RER cisternae, and secretory granules, indicating that the metabolically active apocrine cells lining the Type I cysts are responsible for the production and secretion of PSA in Type I breast cyst fluids. The synthesis and intracystic accumulation of this serine protease in biosynthetically active apocrine Type I cysts can play an important role in the natural history of breast gross cystic disease as well as in the mechanism of cyst evolution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Haagensen CD, Bodian C, Haagensen DE, Jr: Gross cystic disease of the breast. In: Breast carcinoma risk and detection. WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bundred NJ, West RR, Dowd JO, Mansel RE, Hughes LE: Is there an increased risk of breast cancer in women who have had a breast cyst aspirated? Br J Cancer 64: 953–955, 1991

    Google Scholar 

  3. Naldoni C, Costantini M, Dogliotti L, Bruzzi P. Bucchi L, Buzzi G, Torta M, Angeli A: Association of cyst type with risk factor for breast cancer and relapse rate in women with gross cystic disease of the breast. Cancer Res 52: 1791–1795, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  4. Molina R, Filella X, Herranz M, Prats M, Velasco A, Zanon G, Martinez-Osaba MJ, Ballesta AM: Biochemistry of cyst fluid in fibrocystic disease of the breast. Ann NY Acad Sci 586: 29-42 1990

    Google Scholar 

  5. Enriori CL, Novelli JE, Cremona MdC, Hirsig RJP, Enriori PJ: Biochemical study of cyst fluid in human breast gross cystic disease: a review. Breast Cancer Res Treat 24: 1–9, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  6. Mannello F, Troccoli R: Improved electrophoretic map of breast cyst fluid proteins. Cancer Detect Prev 16: 107–112, 1992

    Google Scholar 

  7. Malatesta M, Mannello F, Sebastiani M, Cardinali A, Marcheggiani F, Renò F, Gazzanelli G: Ultrastructural characterization and biochemical profile of human gross cystic breast disease. Breast Cancer Res Treat 48: 211–219, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bradlow HL, Fleisher M, Breed CN, Chasalow Fl: Biochemical classification of patients with gross cystic breast disease. Ann NY Acad Sci 586: 12–16, 1990

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dupont WD, Page DL: Risk factors for breast cancer in women with proliferative breast disease, N EngI J Med 312: 146-151 1985

    Google Scholar 

  10. Ebbs SR, Bates T: Breast cyst type does not predict the natural history of cyst disease of breast cancer risk. Br J Surg 75: 702–704, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dixon JM, Lumsden AB, Miller WR: The relationship of cyst type to risk factors for breast cancer and the subsequent development of breast cancer in patients with breast cystic disease. Eur J Cancer clin Oncol 21: 1047–1050, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  12. Diamandis EP, Yu H, Sutherland DJA: Detection of prostatespecific antigen immunoreactivity in breast tumors. Breast Cancer Res Treat 32: 301–310. 1994

    Google Scholar 

  13. Yu H, Diamandis EP, Sutherland DJA: Immunoreactive prostate-specific antigen levels in female and male breast tumours and its association with steroid hormone receptors and patient age. Clin Biochem 27: 75–79, 1994

    Google Scholar 

  14. Yu H, Giai M, Diamandis EP, Katsaros D, Sutherland DJA, Levesque MA, Roagna R, Ponsone R, Sismondi P: Prostatespecific antigen is a new favorable prognostic indicator for women with breast cancer. Cancer Res 55: 2104–2110, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  15. Astill ME, Rapp F, Wilson LW, Bryson L, Wu JT: PSA in breast tumor cytosol: a positive prognostic factor? Clin Chem 42 S266, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  16. Dibbelt L, Vierke G, Wünsche W: Prostate-specific antigen immunoactivity in women with breast cancer. Clin Chem 42: 1721–1722, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  17. Romppanen J, Keskikuru R, Kataja V, Eskelinen M, Kosma VM, Savolainen K, Uusitupa M, Mononen I: Serum prostatespecific antigen in benign and malignant breast disease. Clin Chem 44: A40, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  18. Yu H, Levesque MA, Clark GM, Diamandis EP: Prognostic value of prostate-specific antigen for women with breast cancer: a large United States cohort study. Clin Cancer Res 4: 1489–1497, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  19. Yu H, Diamandis EP: Prostate-specific antigen in milk of lactating women. Clin Chem 41: 54–58, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yu H, Diamandis EP, Levesque M, Giai M, Roagna R, Ponzone R, Sismondi P, Monne M, Croce CM: Prostatespecific antigen in breast cancer, benign breast disease and normal breast tissue. Breast Cancer Res Treat 40: 171–178, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  21. Mannello F, Sebastiani M, Amati S, Gazzanelli G: Prostatespecific antigen expression in a case of intracystic carcinoma of the breast: characterization of immunoreactive protein and literature surveys. Clin Chem 43: 1448–1454, 1997

    Google Scholar 

  22. Foretova L, Garber JE, Sadowsky NL, Verselis SJ, Li FP: Prostate-specific antigen in nipple aspirate. Lancet 341: 1631,1996

    Google Scholar 

  23. Sauter ER, Daly M, Linahan K, Ehya H, Engstrom PF, Bonney G, Ross EA, Yu H, Diarnandis EP: Prostate-specific antigen levels in nipple aspirate fluid correlate with breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 5: 967–970, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  24. Yu H, Diamandis EP, Zarghami N, Grass L: Induction of prostate-specific antigen production by steroids and tamoxifen in breast cancer cell lines. Breast Cancer Res Treat 32: 291–300, 1994

    Google Scholar 

  25. Mannello F, Bocchiotti GD, Bianchi G, Marcheggiani F, Gazzanelli G: Quantification of prostate-specific antigen immunoreactivity in human breast cyst fluids. Breast Cancer Res Treat 38: 247–252, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  26. Diamandis EP, Yu H, López-Otin C: Prostate-specific antigen: a new constituent of breast cyst fluid. Breast Cancer Res Treat 38: 259–264, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  27. Lai LC, Erbas H, Lennard TWJ, Peaston RT: Prostate-specific antigen in breast cyst fluid: possible role of prostate-specific antigen in hormone-dependent breast cancer. Int J Cancer 66: 743–746, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  28. Mannello F, Miragoli G, Bianchi G, Gazzanelli G: Immunoreactive prostate-specific antigen in pleural effusions. Clin Chem 43: 847–849, 1997

    Google Scholar 

  29. Mannello F, Malatesta M, Fusco F, Bianchi G, Cardinali A, Gazzanelli G: Biochemical characterization and immunolocalization of prostate-specific antigen in human term placenta. Clin Chem 44: l735–1737, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hutter RVP: Goodbye to fibrocystic disease. N EngI J Med 312: 179–180, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  31. Diamandis EP, Yu H: New biological functions of prostatespecific antigen. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 80: 1515–1517, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  32. Diamandis EP: Prostate-specific antigen: new applications in breast and other cancers. Anticancer Res 16: 3983–3986, 1996

    Google Scholar 

  33. Kesner L, Yu W, Bradlow HL, Breed CW, Fleisher M: Proteases in cyst fluid from human gross cyst breast disease. Cancer Res 48: 6379–6383, 1988

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Istologia ed Analisi di Laboratorio, Università degli Studi, Urbino, Italy

    Manuela Malatesta, Ferdinando Mannello & Giancarlo Gazzanelli

  2. Centro di Senologia, AUSL 1, Pesaro, Italy

    Maurizio Sebastiani

  3. Laboratorio Analisi, AUSL 2, Urbino, Italy

    Giuseppe Bianchi

Authors
  1. Manuela Malatesta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ferdinando Mannello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maurizio Sebastiani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Giuseppe Bianchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Giancarlo Gazzanelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Malatesta, M., Mannello, F., Sebastiani, M. et al. Prostate‐specific antigen found in Type I breast cyst fluids is a secretory product of the apocrine cells lining breast gross cysts. Breast Cancer Res Treat 57, 157–163 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006182518520

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006182518520

Search

Navigation