All analyzed breast cancer tumors had lower expression levels of mammaglobin and lipophilin B than the respective mean level of the nonneoplastic breast tissues; no prominent overexpression was evident.
Diagnostic assays based on mammaglobin A expression and/or the mammaglobin A/lipophilin B complex appear to be less specific for breast cancer, but with a broader spectrum of potential applications, which includes gynecologic malignancies.
This work describes the biochemistry of the mammaglobin/lipophilin B complex and lays the framework for use of this complex as a novel protein-based serological marker for breast cancer.