Demonstration of skin-derived antileukoproteinase (SKALP) and its target enzyme human leukocyte elastase in squamous cell carcinoma.
Skin-derived antileukoproteinase (SKALP), also known as elafin, is a strong and specific inhibitor of elastase and proteinase 3. SKALP is not present in normal epidermis, but is expressed by epidermal keratinocytes under hyperproliferative conditions such as psoriasis, wound healing, and in cell culture. In human epidermal tumours, SKALP is differentially expressed and restricted to tumours with distinct squamous differentiation. We have studied the presence of both SKALP and one of its known target enzymes, leukocyte elastase, in 41 squamous cell carcinomas of the skin. SKALP expression correlated with the degree of differentiation: strong expression was seen in well-differentiated cells and expression was absent in poorly differentiated tumour cells. Most of the squamous cell carcinomas showed elastase-positive cells in the tumour stroma and also within the tumour cell nests. SKALP may interfere with the proteolytic activity of infiltrating inflammatory cells or with hitherto unknown proteinases from the tumour cells. We hypothesize that in squamous cell carcinoma progressive loss of SKALP expression could facilitate tumour spread.
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
H A
HA
Alkemade
I M
IM
van Vlijmen-Willems
U J
UJ
van Haelst
P C
PC
van de Kerkhof
J
J
Schalkwijk
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000032:analysis*; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology
D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D011506:Proteins; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase