Immunocytochemical demonstration of tissue transglutaminase indicative of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in hormone sensitive mammary tumours.

Tissue transglutaminase (TG) positive tumour cells in MXT mouse mammary cancer were localized by immunohistochemistry. The number of TG-positive tumour cells increased after treatment with analogs of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) and somatostatin, which inhibit tumour growth by the enhancement of apoptosis (programmed cell death). TG positivity has been previously reported to be closely linked with apoptosis. In this study, the increase in the number of TG positive tumour cells after hormonal treatment was well correlated with the augmented apoptotic index, i.e. the ratio of tumourous glandular structures which contained tumour cells showing the signs of programmed cell death. TG-positive tumour cells are, therefore, believed to be undergoing programmed cell death.