The Breast Mucin MUC1 as a Novel Adhesion Ligand for Endothelial Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 in Breast Cancer¹ Available to Purchase

The MUC 1 mucin is expressed on normal breast epithelium and in 90% of breast cancers. We report here that tumor-associated MUC1 is a ligand for intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). Antibodies to ICAM-1 and to MUC1 inhibited adhesion of human and transfected mouse MUC1-positive cell lines to human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers and immobilized recombinant human ICAM-1-immunoglobulin fusion protein. Purified MUC1 pretreatment of recombinant human ICAM-1 was an equally effective inhibitor of adhesion. The interaction between MUC1 and ICAM-1 may be critical to the process of bloodborne metastases in breast cancer.