OBJECTIVEIn order to explore the correlation between the centrosome aberration and oncogenesis of the breast carcinoma, the expression of alpha-tubulin and gamma-tubulin proteins in breast precancerous lesions, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) was investigated.

METHODSQuantitative immunofluorescence analysis was performed for measuring centrosome proteins by FITC-labeled monoclonal anti-alpha and anti-gamma-tubulin antibodies in 90 cases with precancerous lesions, DCIS and IDC of the breast, respectively. Normal breast tissue from 30 cases were taken as control group.

RESULTSThe average of positive (FITC-labeled) cells were 3.2, 11.6, 14.8, 23.1 (alpha-tubulin) and 3.3, 10.7, 14.5, 24.5 (gamma-tubulin) in four groups, respectively. There were significant differences of alpha-tubulin or gamma-tubulin expression among those groups (P = 0.000), respectively. The highest expression quantity was in IDC group and the lowest was in normal breast tissue. Their expression was significantly associated with cellular proliferation and differentiation.

CONCLUSIONThere is over-expression of the centrosome tubulin protein in the precancerous stage of the breast. The centrosome aberration may play an important role during the crucial early step of oncogenesis and it may promote the cellular cancerization or transformation into malignancy. Quantitative immuno-fluorescence analysis and immunohistochemistry can be complementary each other.