Expression of transferrin receptor on human carcinomas--an immunohistological study

Thirty specimens taken from 25 adenocarcinomas, 1 squamous cell carcinoma, 2 anaplastic carcinomas and 2 malignant lymphomas were studied for the presence of transferrin receptor (TR). Immunoperoxidase technique was used and OKT9, an anti-transferrin receptor monoclonal antibody, was introduced. The tissue localization of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) were also studied. Of these, 5 cases were strongly stained for TR, 17 moderately and 6 weakly stained. TR was demonstrated on the basal site while luminal preference was evident with CEA and EMA. This polarity was observed in the well- to moderately-differentiated adenocarcinomas and in the well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma but not in the poorly-differentiated and anaplastic variants. Putatively normal epithelium registered very weak positivity though the polarity was still maintained.