Detection of human cytomegalovirus in normal and neoplastic breast epithelium

Herpesviridae

Table 1 Comparisons of HCMV immunoreactivity in epithelium between breast cancer and non-neoplastic breast tissue from breast reduction mammoplasty.

Specific immunoreactivity to HCMV immediate early (IE) antigen and HCMV early and late (E/L) antigens were significantly higher in breast cancer cases than normal controls. Immunoreactivity to the HCMV late (L) antigen was higher in breast cancer than normal breast. No immunoreactivity was detected in any specimen when primary antibody was omitted. All specimens had specific immunoreactivity to vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells with anti-CD34 and anti-smooth muscle actin antibodies, respectively, but no immunostaining of epithelial cells was observed with these antibodies.