Carcinoembryonic antigen as a selective enhancer of colorectal cancer metastasis.
Although the serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is directly associated with a poor prognosis in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC), its function is obscure. As a member of the immunoglobulin supergene family, CEA may be involved with intercellular recognition and binding and facilitate attachment of CRC to sites of metastasis. In an experimental metastasis model of CRC in athymic nude mice, a systemic injection of CEA enhanced experimental liver metastasis and implantation in liver by a weakly metastatic CRC. This CRC also selectively bound to CEA that was attached to plastic. Thus, CEA may function as an attachment factor for CRC.
Hostetter
R B
RB
Department of Surgery, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.
Augustus
L B
LB
Mankarious
R
R
Chi
K F
KF
Fan
D
D
Toth
C
C
Thomas
P
P
Jessup
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000276:immunology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010969:Plastics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D010969:Plastics