Fig. 8: ADAMTS18 expression and distribution in the human breast epithelium.

a Representative micrographs of normal human breast tissue from 5 different women stained with luminal cell marker CK7, myoepithelial cell marker P63 and anti-ADAMTS18, counterstained with hematoxylin. Scale bar, 100 μm. b Experimental scheme: dissociated human breast epithelial cells from reduction mammoplasties were injected via the teat into the milk duct system of NSG female mice and establish themselves there. c LC/MS measured serum progesterone levels in mice 60 days after implantation with pellets containing vehicle, 20 or 50 mg progesterone. Data represent mean ± SD from n = 10 (vehicle), n = 7 (20 mg), and n = 4 (50 mg); one-way ANOVA. d Dot plot showing Adamts18 transcript levels as measured by semi qRT-PCR normalized to the geometric mean of Hprt and Gapdh in mammary glands from mice that were subcutaneously engrafted with pellets containing either vehicle (0) or 20 or 50 mg progesterone for 60 days. Data represent mean ± SD from n = 10 (vehicle), n = 7 (20 mg), and n = 4 (50 mg); one-way ANOVA. e Dot plot showing relative ADAMTS18 transcript levels normalized to GAPDH in glands xenografted with human breast epithelial cells from 4 mammoplasty specimens. Recipient mice were either implanted with vehicle- or 20 mg progesterone-containing pellets. Paired t-test, two-tailed. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; ****p < 0.0001.