title: 'Increased expression of seprase, a membrane-type serine protease, is associated with lymph node metastasis in human colorectal cancer'.
abstract: Seprase is a membrane-bound serine proteinase with gelatinase activity, which may be involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. We examined seprase expression in colorectal cancer specimens obtained from 109 patients. Seprase immunoreactivity was found in cancer cells and adjacent stromal cells. Immunoblotting showed higher levels of seprase protein in colorectal cancer tissue than in normal colorectal tissue. A semiquantitative assessment of the immunohistochemistry results revealed a significant correlation between seprase expression and lymph node metastasis. These results suggested that an abundant expression of seprase in colorectal cancer tissue is associated with lymph node metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi-kamicho, Itabashi, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwasa
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Wen-Tien
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamane
authors.forename: Akishi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsumata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C478147:seprase, human