Expression of CD44 variants in gastric carcinoma with or without Epstein-Barr virus.
The significance of CD44 variants in gastric carcinoma has not been fully investigated in terms of the pathological features of the carcinoma, including its association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). In this study, a total of 104 primary gastric carcinoma tissues (EBV-associated gastric carcinomas, EBVaGC, and EBV-negative carcinomas) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. When the immunoreactivity of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections was graded on a scale of 0-3, the frequencies of grades 0-1, 2 and 3 were, respectively, 77%, 16% and 7% using monoclonal antibody (MAb) 3G5, which recognizes V3-5, and 70%, 14% and 15% with MAb 2F10, which recognizes V6. The expression of CD44 variants is independently correlated with lymph node metastasis and EBV-association in gastric carcinoma. Significant correlations were observed between V3-5 expression and lymph vessel invasion or lymph node metastasis, and between V6 expression and lymph node metastasis. The expression of both variants was significantly correlated with EBV-association. EBV-association and lymph node metastasis contributed independently to CD44 variant expression by multivariate analysis. Thus, the mechanism and significance of CD44 variant-expression are different in gastric carcinomas with or without EBV. EBVaGC is a distinct type of gastric carcinoma which should be considered separately from EBV-negative carcinoma.
Chong
J M
JM
Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Japan. jmchong@ms.jichi.ac.jp
Fukayama
M
M
Hayashi
Y
Y
Funata
N
N
Takizawa
T
T
Koike
M
M
Muraoka
M
M
Kikuchi-Yanoshita
R
R
Miyaki
M
M
Mizuno
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology
D015703:Antigens, CD; C099537:Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA 1; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D012367:RNA, Viral