Immunolocalization of the human basal epithelial marker monoclonal antibody 312C8-1 in normal tissue and mammary tumours of rodents.

Using immunoperoxidase staining of monoclonal antibody 312C8-1 against 51,000 dalton human keratin polypeptide, immunolocalization was observed in frozen sections of normal tissue and mammary tumours of adult female mice and rats. In normal tissue, the epitope was recognized in myoepithelial cells of the mammary, sweat and salivary glands, and in basal and suprabasal cells of the epidermis. However, the antibody did not react with luminal epithelial cells of the above glands or with mesenchymal cells. In spontaneous mammary tumours of mice, marker-positive tumour cells were distributed only in the outer layer of adenocarcinoma Type A, while they were scattered in some foci of adenocarcinoma Type B, and encircled the epithelial foci of pregnancy dependent tumours (plaque). All layers of epidermoid structures in adenoacanthoma revealed positivity. In rat mammary tumours induced by local dusting with 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) powder, the staining pattern of benign tumours was comparable to that of the normal mammary gland. But, in addition to basally situated cells, marker-positive tumour cells were found scattered in the foci of adenocarcinoma, and were not restricted to basal cells in squamous cell carcinoma. The marker was not found in sarcomatous tissue. This antibody can therefore also be applied to rodents, and the staining pattern can be used to identify the epithelial subclass specific marker in normal tissue and in mammary tumours.