title: Metastatic growth of squamous cell carcinomas is correlated with upregulation and redistribution of hemidesmosomal components.
abstract: Bullous pemphigoid antigen-1 (BPA1) and alpha(6)beta(4)-integrin colocalize at the hemidesmosomes in basal-layer keratinocytes of normal squamous epithelia. The expression of these genes was analyzed during the process of tumor cell invasion and metastasis on frozen sections of head and neck biopsies, and the structural appearance of hemidesmosomes was analyzed by electron microscopy. Despite a diminution of hemidesmosomal structures as revealed by electron microscopy, gene expression of BPA1 and alpha(6)beta(4)-integrins was distinctly upregulated with the onset of invasive growth, demonstrated at the mRNA level by in situ hybridization. The upregulated gene expression extended to the entire proliferative zone of invasive tumors, including the tumor cells which have lost contact with the basement membrane and no longer display hemidesmosomes. The polarized localization of the BPA1 and alpha(6)beta(4) proteins to the basal aspect of the peripheral tumor cells was largely retained in invasive but nonmetastatic lesions, but was lost upon progression to metastatic growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), in which pericellular staining extended into many tumor cell layers. The results of this study confirm that expression of BPA1 and alpha(6)beta(4)-integrins is elevated in carcinoma cells but is not directed to intact hemidesmosomes. Importantly, this loss of directed localization is an indicator of the capacity to metastasize.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herold-Mende
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kartenbeck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomakidi
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Bosch
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003094:Collagen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000071821:Dystonin; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D022002:Hemidesmosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D039161:Integrin alpha6beta4; D016023:Integrins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001324:Autoantigens; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003094:Collagen; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000071821:Dystonin; D039161:Integrin alpha6beta4; D016023:Integrins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII; C486268:DST protein, human