title: Expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in human malignant mesothelioma.
abstract: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) are cytokine-inducible adhesion molecules which recognize ligands that are highly expressed on leukocytes. Expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 was investigated in tissue sections of 16 cases of malignant mesothelioma (seven epithelial, eight biphasic, and one sarcomatoid) using immunohistochemistry. Neoplastic cells were diffusely and intensely stained for ICAM-1 in all cases. VCAM-1 was detected in 14 of 16 cases. The percentage of VCAM-1-positive tumour cells was more than 50 per cent in eight cases and the staining was observed mainly in epithelial-like cells. VCAM-1 was rarely expressed in other malignant tumours of epithelial origin, being present in only 1 of 58 cases of carcinoma originating from different anatomical sites. At the cellular level, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 appeared co-distributed, the staining for both being cytoplasmic with a membrane reinforcement. The regulation of VCAM-1 expression by neoplastic mesothelial cells was investigated in vitro using 14 mesothelioma cell lines. ICAM-1 was expressed by cultured cells of all mesothelioma cell lines, even in the absence of cytokines. VCAM-1 was detected in 10-50 per cent of the cells in three non-stimulated mesothelioma cell lines (mero-95, mero-96, and mero-134), and was absent or poorly expressed in the remaining 11. Exposure of a negative cell line (mero-48a) to an optimal concentration of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) or interleukin-13 (IL-13) for 6-18 h resulted in the induction of VCAM-1 mRNA synthesis and in VCAM-1 expression at the membrane level in 60-70 per cent of the cells. These findings are consistent with the possibility that TNF alpha, IL-13, or other activating signals are released in the tumour micro-environment and regulate the expression of VCAM-1 in malignant mesothelioma cells.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Patologia, Università La Supienza, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ruco
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: de Laat
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matteucci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernasconi
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Sciacca
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: van der Kwast
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hoogsteden
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uccini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Versnel
mesh_terms: D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018793:Interleukin-13; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1