Hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid) and hyaluronectin in the extracellular matrix of human breast carcinomas: comparison between invasive and non-invasive areas.
We performed quantitative determination of the distribution of hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid, HA) and the HA-binding protein, hyaluronectin (HN), 2 components of the extracellular matrix of tumor desmoplasia, within 71 human breast carcinomas. Results showed that HA and HN were more elevated in tumoral than in non-tumoral adjacent tissue, and that the peripheral invasive area of tumors contained increased levels of HA and HN as compared with the central non-invasive area (p less than 10(-3) and p less than 10(-5) respectively). HN and HA levels of 61 ductal carcinomas were related to the histological grade of tumors; no significant difference was found between grades for HA; HN was found to be significantly lower in grade III than in grade II tumors (p less than 0.01). HA and HN rates were correlated in grade I and grade II tumors and were not correlated in grade III. Mean percentage of HA saturation level by HN for whole tumors was found to be less than 4%, indicating that HA is essentially free of proteins and could be used as a target for cancer diagnosis or therapy.
Bertrand
P
P
Centre Régional de Lutte Contre le Cancer Henri-Becquerel, Rouen, France.
Girard
N
N
Delpech
B
B
Duval
C
C
d'Anjou
J
J
Dauce
J P
JP
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid