Estrogen Receptor–α and Progesterone Receptor Expression in Mammary Proliferative Lesions of Female Pet Rabbits

Abstract

In breast cancer of women, the estrogen receptor–α (ERα) and progesterone receptor (PR) status has prognostic and therapeutic significance. The aim of this study was (1) to characterize by immunohistochemistry the expression of ERα and PR in nonneoplastic and neoplastic mammary gland tissue of pet rabbits and (2) to correlate the ERα/PR status and histological features. All 124 rabbits included in this study had a mammary tumor; in addition, 2 rabbits had lobular hyperplasia and 25 had multiple cysts. Of the 124 neoplasms, 119 (96%) were carcinoma, 2 (2%) were carcinoma in situ, and 3 (2%) were adenoma. ERα or PR or both were detected in 2 of 2 carcinomas in situ, 3 of 3 adenomas, 19 of 25 cysts, and 2 of 2 lesions of lobular hyperplasia. Most carcinomas (75/119, 63%) were negative for both ERα and PR; 22 of 119 carcinomas (18%) were double-immunopositive. The ERα and PR expression was not influenced by histotype or histological tumor grade. In carcinomas, there was a statistically significant correlation between increased mitotic count and reduced expression of ERα and PR, and the mitotic count was higher in double-immunonegative carcinomas (75/119). The findings suggest that in rabbit mammary carcinomas, proliferative activity is mainly influenced by factors other than estrogen and progesterone and provides the basis for future investigations into the prognostic significance of the ERα and PR status of mammary tumors.