Figure 3
Expression of PR paralleled that of ERα not ERβ. A. Expression of PR mRNA was significantly higher in cancers that were classified as well or moderately differentiated as compared with those with a poorly differentiated phenotype (p < 0.05, n = 10 cancers in each group, comparisons indicated by letters a, b). B. PR mRNA was significantly higher in Ishikawa A [ERα-positive] compared to Ishikawa B [ERα-negative] after incubation with E2 for 16 (a) or 24 (b) hours (p < 0.01). Values are expressed as mean +/- SD of three independent experiments performed in duplicate. C. Fluorescent co-localisation as carried out using antibodies specific for ERα or ERβ1 (both green) and PR (red). The cancers illustrated were classified as well (code 1614), moderately (code 1930) or poorly (c, codes 0001 and 1176) differentiated; at least 8 samples were analysed in each group. Co-expression was detected as yellow/orange immunofluoresence. In the well and moderately differentiated cancers expression of PR was most intense in epithelial cells and broadly overlapped with that of ERα (e.g. in cells indicated by arrows). Expression of PR was very low in the poorly differentiated cancers and appeared confined to cells with a fibroblast phenotype (**). Some ERβ1 positive cells were PR positive however most cells in the poorly differentiated cancers were ERβ1 positive and PR negative (green nuclei). Labels: L = lumen, S = stromal compartment, arrowheads = ERβ1 postive cells that are PR negative.