Immunohistochemical analysis of plasminogen activator expression in human colorectal carcinomas: correlation with CEA distribution and tumor cell kinetics.
Fifty cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma were immunohistochemically examined for the relationship between distribution of plasminogen activators (PAs) and the degree of differentiation of cancer cells as reflected by carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expression as well as tumor cell kinetics. The A chain of urokinase-type PA (u-PA-A) was mainly observed in the apical portions of highly differentiated cancer cells. Increased expression and change in localization to the cytoplasm were found with progressive dedifferentiation. The numbers of DNA polymerase alpha (pol. alpha) positive cancer cells also increased in line with u-PA-A expression. The B chain of u-PA (u-PA-B), and the A and B chains of tissue-type PA (t-PA-A and -B) did not show similar alteration. The present findings suggest that the distribution of u-PA-A in colorectal carcinoma tissues, the degree of tumor differentiation, and the proliferation kinetics of cancer cells are closely related.
Kawanishi
H
H
Department of Surgery, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
Tanaka
K
K
Takai
S
S
Takada
H
H
Yamamura
M
M
Hioki
K
K
Nagura
H
H
Yamamoto
M
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004257:DNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D004257:DNA Polymerase II; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator