Expression of human mammary epithelial (HME) antigens in primary cultures of normal and abnormal breast tissue.

The expression of human mammary epithelial (HME) antigens was studied in primary cell cultures of normal and abnormal breast tissue and of tissues from other organs. By indirect immunofluorescence it was shown that heterologous anti-HME bound to the cell surface of both suspension and monolayer cultures of human breast epithelial cells from normal breast tissue, normal breast fluid, non-malignant atypical lesions of the female breast, gynecomastia in the male breast, breast carcinomas, and peritoneal and pleural effusions of patients with breast carcinomas. The fibroblast-like cells cultured from either normal, non-malignant atypical, or malignant breast tissue never bound anti-HME, nor did histiobyte-like cells from breast fluid or a sarcoid granuloma of the breast. From a Paget tumor of the breast, two distinguishable epithelial-like colonies appeared in the cultures, only one of which expressed HME-antigens. Anti-HME did not bind to cells cultured from tissues of other organs, whether epithelial-like or fibroblast-like; these organs included thyroid, ovary, endometrium, and skin.