title: Role of hyaluronan and hyaluronan synthase in endometrial cancer.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine if the immunohistochemical expression of hyaluronan synthase (HAS) and serum levels of hyaluronan correlate with the clinicopathological manifestations of endometrial carcinoma. Sera were obtained from 59 endometrial cancer patients and 22 post-menopausal healthy women. Concentration of hyaluronan in sera was measured by an inhibitory ELISA using a hyaluronan-binding protein. Tissues obtained from 59 endometrial cancer patients were immunostained by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method using anti-HAS1, anti-HAS2, anti-HAS3 and anti-CD44 antibody. A section was defined as having positive expression when >50% of the tumor cells were intensely stained. The expression of HAS1 was related to the depth of myometrial invasion, histological grade and lymph-vascular space involvement, but the expression of HAS2 and HAS3 was unrelated to these parameters. CD44 expression occurred more frequently in the HAS2- or HAS3-positive groups than in the HAS2- or HAS3-negative groups, and the expression of HAS1 was unrelated to CD44 expression. Serum levels of hyaluronan were higher in the endometrial cancer group than in the healthy control group, and increased with depth of myometrial invasion, histological grade and lymph-vascular space involvement. Serum hyaluronan levels were higher in the HAS1-positive group than in the HAS1-negative group, but the expression of HAS2 and HAS3 was unrelated to serum hyaluronan levels. HAS1 expression and an increase in serum hyaluronan in endometrial cancer may be associated with disease progression through myometrial invasion and lymph-vascular space involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute-cho, Aichi 480-1195, Japan. yab@aichi-med-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yabushita
authors.forename: Tameko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishida
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fusano
authors.forename: Kouhei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanyama
authors.forename: Lisheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Itano
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimata
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noguchi
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D009215:Myometrium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause
chemical_list: D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; C101754:HAS2 protein, human; C105458:HAS3 protein, human; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases