title: Expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD 106) in normal and neoplastic human esophageal squamous epithelium.
abstract: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), a key receptor for the leukocyte-associated integrin (VLA4), is a crucial mediator of leukocyte adhesion and has co-stimulatory functions in inflammation at various organ sites. Specifically, VCAM-1/VLA4 interactions have been shown to play important roles in the setting of cutaneous immune responses, such as psoriatic lesions in humans and acute Graft-versus-Host-Disease in mice. VCAM-1 is generally expressed on activated endothelial cells in inflamed tissues, mediating endothelium-leukocyte interactions, leading to leukocyte diapedesis to the site of inflammation. We report novel and unexpected membrane expression of VCAM-1 in the basal squamous epithelial strata of the normal human esophagus and distinct patterns of epithelial expression in esophageal pathology. To further delineate the differential expression patterns of VCAM-1 in the esophageal epithelium, we examined specimens from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma, and Barrett's columnar cell metaplasia. VCAM-1 was strongly expressed in squamous cell carcinoma, but not adenocarcinoma nor columnar epithelia in Barrett's esophagus. VCAM-1 expression was focally accentuated at sites characteristic of microscopic tumor invasion in SCC, pointing to a potential role of VCAM-1 in the development of metastasis. In addition, in vitro immunofluorescence studies using OE21 cells, an esophageal squamous epithelial cell line, displayed distinct VCAM-1 immunoreactivity confined to mitotic and dividing cells. Cell cycle arrest caused a significant decrease in VCAM-1 immunoreactivity in OE21 cells. These data suggest a previously unappreciated role for VCAM-1 in esophageal squamous epithelial homeostasis and pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine B, University of Münster, D-48129 Münster, Germany. jan_heidemann@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heidemann
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maaser
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lügering
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Spahn
authors.forename: Klaus P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Herbst
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rafiee
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Domschke
authors.forename: Christian F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Krieglstein
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Binion
authors.forename: Torsten F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Kucharzik
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1