Expression of CD44 splice variants during lymphocyte activation and tumor progression.
Recently, splice variants of CD44 have been described that confer metastatic potential to non-metastasizing rat pancreatic carcinoma and sarcoma cell lines. Using antibodies against variant CD44 (CD44v) sequences, we have examined the expression of variant CD44 glycoproteins on human lymphoid cells and tissues and in colorectal neoplasia. Lymphohematopoietic cells express low levels of CD44v glycoproteins. During the process of lymphocyte activation in vitro and in vivo, expression of CD44v glycoproteins is transiently upregulated. The reaction pattern of various antibodies indicates that these CD44 variants contain the domain encoded by exon v6, which is part of the variant that confers metastatic capability. In human colorectal neoplasia we observed overexpression of CD44 splice variants in all invasive carcinomas. Already at early stages of colorectal tumor progression exon v5 epitopes were overexpressed. Tumor progression was strongly related to expression of CD44 isoforms containing exon v6 encoded domains. The findings establish CD44 variants as tumor progression markers in colorectal cancer.
Griffioen
A W
AW
Dept. of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Horst
E
E
Heider
K H
KH
Wielenga
V J
VJ
Adolf
G R
GR
Herrlich
P
P
Pals
S T
ST
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011379:Prognosis; D051381:Rats; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing