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Expression of Class II ß-Tubulin by Proliferative Myoepithelial Cells in Canine Mammary Mixed Tumors

Department of Tissue Physiology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan (KA, HN); Division of Pathology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan (MS); Naoi Animal Hospital, Saitama, Saitama, Japan (MN); and Veterinary Clinic, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan (HM)

Benign mammary mixed tumors in dogs resemble human salivary pleomorphic adenomas with regard to their histogenesis, including the occurrence of cartilaginous or bony metaplasia as well as the expression pattern of cytoskeletal proteins in proliferative myoepithelial cells. Recently, a monoclonal antibody specific for class II ß-tubulin has been developed. The epitope it recognizes was determined to be the heptapeptide Glu-Glu-Glu-Glu-Gly-Glu-Asp, which is the common sequence found among the canine, rat, mouse, and human class II ß-tubulin–specific regions. We carried out immunohistochemical studies on mammary mixed tumors obtained from three female dogs using this the monoclonal antibody. The antibody to class II ß-tubulin reacted intensely with proliferative myoepithelial cells in canine mammary mixed tumors, whereas staining was barely detectable in normal myoepithelial cells surrounding alveoli and alveolar ducts within the tumor and adjacent normal tissue. Proliferative myoepithelial cells also expressed vimentin, but -smooth muscle actin (SMA) staining was barely detectable. Immunoblot analysis showed that class II ß-tubulin and vimentin were expressed in myoepithelial cell lines prepared from the three mammary mixed tumors. On the other hand, only one cell line, which was negative for SMA, produced cartilage-specific type II collagen. These results suggest that class II ß-tubulin could be a new molecular marker of proliferating myoepithelial cells in canine mammary mixed tumors and that differential expression of cytoskeletal components is associated with cartilaginous metaplasia of proliferative myoepithelial cells in mixed mammary tumors.

Key words: Cartilage; collagen type II; dogs; mammary tumor; metaplasia; monoclonal antibody; tubulin.

Request reprints from Dr. K. Arai, Department of Tissue Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509 (Japan). E-mail: karai{at}cc.tuat.ac.jp.

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