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Biomedical subjects

S Battersby

Publications and source records attributed to S Battersby.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Patterns of cyclic AMP binding in normal human breast.

Cyclic AMP binding proteins have been measured in normal breast tissue, in a variety of physiological conditions including resting state (69 cases), pregnancy (15 cases), lactation (4 cases), post-lactational involution (6 cases), and prolonged involution (10 cases). Levels varied greatly within the groups but median values were elevated in pregnancy, lactation, and post-lactational involution as compared with the resting and prolonged involutionary states. The proportion of different types of cyclic AMP binding proteins also differed between groups. Resting breast showed approximately equal amounts of type I and II whereas pregnant and postlactational involuting breast tissue had an increased proportion of type I binding, and the prolonged involutionary state tended to be associated with low type I. Within the subgroup of nulliparous resting breasts, the proportion of type I cyclic AMP binding protein was significantly elevated during the second half of the menstrual cycle compared with the first (p < 0.05). There were also significant positive associations between the level of epithelial proliferation and both total (p < 0.015) and type I (p < 0.002) cyclic AMP binding. This represents the strongest of association thus far reported between signalling systems and proliferation in the normal breast.

Breast↗
PubMed1992

Influence of menstrual cycle, parity and oral contraceptive use on steroid hormone receptors in normal breast.

Steroid receptor was assessed immunohistochemically in 158 samples of normal breast for variation through the menstrual cycle. Patterns and intensity of reaction were used in a semi-quantitative scoring system to examine the influence of cycle phase, cycle type, parity and age. The changes in oestrogen receptor for natural cycle and oral contraceptive (OC) cycles indicated down-regulation by progestins. Progesterone receptor did not vary significantly in natural cycles, but increased steadily through OC cycles. This study provides strong evidence that both oestrogen and progesterone influence breast epithelium, but dissimilarities from the endometrium are apparent. The interval since pregnancy had a significant negative effect on frequency and score of oestrogen receptor and score of progesterone receptor. Multivariate analysis established the phase of cycle and OC use as independent significant influences on oestrogen receptor. The interval since pregnancy was an independent significant factor for both oestrogen and progesterone receptor presence.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1992

The nature of breast dense core granules: chromogranin reactivity.

Ultrastructural immunoreactivity for chromogranin with the LK2H10 antibody was examined in nine cases of breast carcinoma and one example of normal resting breast. These tissues were selected for study on the basis of argyrophilia or LK2H10 immunostaining by light microscopy. In two cases, positive reactivity with the chromogranin antibody was seen in breast neuroendocrine-like dense core granules. In a further six cases chromogranin reactivity was not seen in similar granules that showed the neuroendocrine properties of ultrastructural argyrophilia and uranaffinity. Inability to exhibit the full complement of neuroendocrine characteristics in breast carcinomas contrasts with the facility to demonstrate them in tissues of usual neuroendocrine differentiation. Furthermore, in two mucoid carcinomas and one example of normal resting breast ultrastructural cytoplasmic LK2H10 reactivity was evident, which was not localized to dense core granules, although these were present in two of the cases. Our findings demonstrate the heterogeneity of breast dense core granules and discourage acceptance of such characteristics as evidence of histogenesis of these carcinomas from a neuroendocrine cell type in breast tissue.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1989

Oral contraceptive use influences resting breast proliferation.

The controversy that surrounds oral contraceptive use and breast cancer risk has arisen from epidemiologic studies, yet the direct effect of such use on breast tissue remains undefined. Breast epithelial proliferation was assessed by 3H-thymidine labeling of normal lobular units dissected from benign biopsies of 347 females aged 14 to 48 years. Factors shown to influence this response included cycle phase, time since menarche (breast age), and parity status. Multivariate analysis allowing for these influences was used to compare activity of natural cycles and those artificially regulated by oral contraceptives (OC). The increased activity in nulliparous OC users was highly significant (P less than .005). Comparing the effect of differences in OC type, whether combined, triphasic, progestin only, or according to estrogen or progestin content, showed a heterogeneity in response that was significant (P less than .01). Examined specifically, the formulation of OC according to progestin content did not have a significant influence, although progestin-only OC was most active, while the influence of increasing estrogen content was significant (P less than .05). However, emphasis is given to acknowledging the multiple factors and interactive processes responsible for breast epithelial stimulation when considering strategies of intervention.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Proliferative and secretory activity in the pregnant and lactating human breast.

In this study the proliferative and secretory activity of human pregnant and lactating breast has been examined. 17 cases of pregnant tissue were obtained, comprising 9 from first trimester, 6 from the second and 2 from the third, together with 3 cases of lactating breast. Proliferation, measured by 3H thymidine autoradiography, gave a constant Thymidine labelling index of approximately 6% during the first 20 weeks, with a reduction by 50% thereafter. Levels of 0.2% were seen during lactation. Morphological assessment showed a high frequency of both mitosis and apoptosis throughout gestation. Although mitotic frequency did reduce with time, values were more variable than thymidine labelling. The reduction in thymidine uptake halfway through pregnancy coincided with generalised morphological lactational differentiation and the major immunocytochemical expression of alpha-lactalbumin. However, cytoplasmic expression of the secretory component of IgA was generalised and marked even during the first trimester and was closely related to increased proliferation and general synthetic cellular activity. These and other observations support a complex relationship of autocrine and paracrine factors in addition to the customary endocrine ones for breast regulation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Proliferative and secretory activity in human breast during natural and artificial menstrual cycles.

Events of cell proliferation have been assessed by thymidine labeling index (TLI) in morphologically normal breast lobules from women of reproductive age. TLI is higher during the second half of the menstrual cycle both in women with natural menstrual cycles and in those with artificial cycles due to oral contraceptive (OC) use. TLI varies between 0.04% and 5.7% and declines with increasing age. There is no difference in mean TLI between OC users and nonusers if correction is made for the difference in age distribution between these two groups. Immunohistochemical detection of immunoglobulin A (IgA), secretory component (SC), and alpha-lactalbumin shows more frequent positive staining during artificial than natural menstrual cycles, and positive staining tends to be associated with higher TLI values. No significant variation in staining with cycle phase is detected in natural or artificial cycles. These results show that breast tissue does not resemble endometrium in the relationships that exist between proliferation, secretion, and menstrual cycle phase.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

The nature of breast dense core granules: uranaffin reactivity.

In this study breast tissue that contained ultrastructural dense core granules has been examined from 24 patients. The possible neuroendocrine characteristics of the granules were studied using the uranaffin reaction and an ultrastructural argyrophil stain. The tissue included 15 breast carcinomas and nine benign samples. Two types of breast dense core granules can be distinguished on the basis of intracellular distribution patterns and histochemical reactivity. Type I dense core granules are the most common and they were found subluminally distributed in non-pathological tissues and benign lesions as well as carcinomas. They were uranaffin-negative and are unlikely to be of endocrine nature. Type II dense core granules were found only in four carcinomas, where they occurred abundantly throughout the cytoplasm. These granules were uranaffin-positive and argyrophilic and thus exhibited characteristics consistent with neuroendocrine structure.

Breast↗
PubMed1986

An ultrastructural study of mucoid carcinoma of the breast: variability of cytoplasmic features.

The ultrastructural characteristics of 14 cases of mucoid carcinoma of the breast, with different histological appearances, have been examined. Thirteen of the tumours were observed to consist of two populations of tumour cells, one showing secretory changes while the other group showed no evidence of activity. In one tumour only synthetically active cells were observed. Ultrastructurally, six different types of cytoplasmic granules, comprising typical mucin plus glycoprotein or protein-containing granules, were identified within the synthetically active tumour cells. The number of types of granules and the relative proportion of the various granules varied between tumours with only mucin granules present in all tumours. It would appear that synthetic pathways are activated in certain tumours which result in protein/glycoprotein granules associated with the argyrophilia observed histologically. In addition, the tumours varied with respect to luminal differentiation, presence of intracytoplasmic lumina, intracytoplasmic mucin pools, lipid droplets, ciliated cells and areas of calcification. The marked heterogeneity of the ultrastructural features of the mucoid carcinoma of the breast prevents the tumours from being readily divided into distinct subgroups.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1985

Radial scars of benign and malignant breasts: comparative features and significance.

From a study of tissue from 34 cancerous breasts and 34 benign breasts the nature and occurrence of radial scars has been assessed. The frequency of detection was influenced more by the amount of tissue assessed and by the diligence of search than by any association with cancer. Bilaterality and multifocality were features in cancerous and benign breasts and a similar range of scar histological appearance was apparent in both types. The histological features of 103 radial scars were tabulated to compare the association of characteristics within individual scars, and the information used to formulate modes of development and progression. The 'early' stage appeared to correlate with central chronic inflammatory response, many spindle cells and minor fibroelastotic distortion of parenchyma; the 'late' stage showed few spindle cells and dominant fibroelastosis with considerable distortion and separation of parenchymal elements. No support was found for the concept that the lesion is premalignant. Rather it belongs to the spectrum of sclerosing alterations affecting the breast parenchyma which ranges from physiological through to clearly pathological changes. Position in the spectrum depends upon the extent and degree of change.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Myofibroblast activity of radial scars.

Radial scars from 38 cases, comprising 12 associated with cancer and 26 with benign lesions, have been examined by electron microscopy. One-third of the lesions, regarded as being at an early stage of development, showed abundant spindle cells, which displayed the ultrastructural characteristics of myofibroblasts. These included many profiles of endoplasmic reticulum, prominent myofilaments and a close association with collagen and elastic fibres. The remaining 'mature' radial scars showed relatively few myofibroblasts, sparsely distributed in the stroma. The stromal cells associated with the 'early' lesions were seen in close proximity to degenerating parenchymal structures, which frequently showed loss of basal lamina. Obliteration of the central parenchymal component appeared to be a prominent feature of radial scar formation. The ultrastructural appearances are consistent with a progressive development of the lesion, associated with sporadic myofibroblast activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The distribution of zinc in the prostate of rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys determined by electron microscopy and x-ray microanalysis.

The distribution of zinc in the prostate of the mature rhesus monkey is described. High levels of zinc were located in the nuclei of epithelial and basal cells in both lobes of the gland, while elevated concentrations of the metal were also found in secretory granules and along lateral cell membranes. A similar zinc distribution pattern was observed in the 2 lobes of the gland, but in general organelles in the cranial region had a higher content of the metal. In whole tissue, however, a 15 times greater zinc content was measured in the caudal lobe. This difference could be explained in terms of the high levels of the metal present in secretory granules and luminal secretion in the caudal lobe. A similar ultrastructural appearance and distribution of zinc was observed in the prostate of the cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis).

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The effect of orally administered cadmium on the ultrastructure of the rat prostate.

The effects of cadmium and nickel chloride, administered in drinking water at 5 and 50 ppm, on the rat prostate are described. Zinc concentrations in the two lobes of the gland were unaffected by the metals and no consistent changes were observed at the subcellular level by X-ray microanalysis. The ultrastructural appearance of the prostate gland in rats of varying ages was unaltered following cadmium administration at those levels, while plasma testosterone concentrations did not differ significantly in cadmium treated animals. Low levels of cadmium (less than 5 ppm) were accumulated by the ventral lobe of the prostate, although the metal was not detectable subcellularly. The results are discussed in relation to human prostatic carcinoma.

Administration, Oral↗