EXPRESSION OF CD44-V6-CONTAINING ISOFORM ON BREAST-TISSUE ADJACENT TOSILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS

Although a variety of studies exists, the silicone controversy is stil l going on. In the present study we investigated the expression of the activation markers CD44-v6, intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1 ), and HLA class II molecules on breast epithelia adjacent to a silico ne gel-filled breast implants (SGBI). Using an indirect immunoperoxida se procedure 12 tissue samples from implant recipients were investigat ed and 6 tissue samples from patients with slight breast hyperplasia w ere used as controls. Expression of CD44-v6 was found on ductal epithe lia in all specimens from implant recipients, HLA-DR was expressed in all specimens, HLA-DQ in 3 of 10, and ICAM-1 in 8 of 12. In contrast, neither CD44-v6 nor HLA-DQ nor ICAM-1 were expressed on ductal epithel ia from patients with slight breast hyperplasia, and HLA-DR was only w eakly expressed in 2 of 6 patients, These data show that CD44-v6 can b e expressed by benign cells under certain conditions, which may indica te an abnormal state of activation in breast tissue adjacent to an SGB I.