Immunohistochemical study of collagen synthesis in an in-vitro model of scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach.
OBJECTIVE
The mechanisms involved in the unique stromal change that occurs upon cancer invasion are poorly understood in scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach.


METHODS
Three different human gastric cancer cell lines (KATO-III, MKN-28, MKN-45) and human fibroblast cells (TIG-101) were co-cultured three-dimensionally in collagen gels. The gels, in vitro models of gastric cancer, were immunostained by monoclonal antibodies to human placental prolyl 4-hydroxylase (PH, a key enzyme of collagen synthesis) and then examined by light and electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Under co-culture of cancer cells and fibroblasts, cytoplasmic staining for PH was observed in both the cancer cells (KATO-III, MKN-28, MKN-45) and fibroblasts. No significant difference in the expression patterns of the alpha- and beta-subunits of PH was observed not only among the KATO-III, MKN-28 and MKN-45 cell lines but also between cancer cells and fibroblasts.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that both cancer cells and fibroblasts can synthesize collagen in gastric cancer models. Moreover, this property may not be a unique characteristic of scirrhous gastric cancer cells, but common to gastric cancer cells and fibroblasts in vitro.
Kurita
Atsushi
A
Department of Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa 228, Japan.
Kikuchi
Shiro
S
Kakita
Akira
A
D002293:Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016610:Tissue Embedding; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D005782:Gels; D003094:Collagen