Generation of monoclonal antibodies against human carcinosarcoma cell line for identification of myoepithelium and basement membrane.

An immunohistochemical method is described for identification of myoepithelial cells and basement membrane for cryostat tissue sections of normal, benign, and in situ carcinomas of the breast using two monoclonal antibodies 155C1 and 155D10 generated against human breast carcinosarcoma cell line HS578T. In the majority of infiltrating ductal carcinomas of the breast, there was a discontinuity in the myoepithelial cell layer, as a result an intact basement membrane could not be visualized. The reactivity of these two monoclonal antibodies might prove useful in the study of myoepithelial differentiation antigens and in the delineation of basement membrane. Among the other types of tissues studied, prominent staining was present with soft tissue tumors like leiomyosarcoma and synovial sarcoma.