Growth of mammary epithelial cells in breast-cancer biopsies correlates with EGF binding.

Abstract

In order to understand the role of EGF in the development of human mammary epithelial tissue, we analysed the binding of 125I-EGF to sections of breast cancer biopsies. A mean specific 125I-EGF binding of 8.9 fmol per mg protein was estimated in thin sections of 17 breast cancer biopsies. Microautoradiographic analysis of 125I-EGF binding to the tissue sections was applied to demonstrate that EGF was bound predominantly to mammary epithelial cells. The binding was clearly correlated to the number of mitoses of mammary epithelial cells in the same samples. The highest EGF binding and proliferation rates were found in biopsies from breast cancer with axillary lymph-node metastases.