Stage-related decorin and versican expression in human laryngeal cancer.
BACKGROUND
The major proteoglycan of normal human larynx is aggrecan. In laryngeal carcinoma, aggrecan is depleted, with versican and decorin appearing in higher amounts.


METHODS
Proteoglycans in laryngeal carcinoma samples were characterized immunohistochemically and using Western blotting; their expression was examined by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
Aggrecan was totally removed in advanced cancer and its RT-PCR product was not identified. Both versican and decorin were overexpressed in cancer, versican much more than decorin. Decorin expression was higher than that of versican in the normal larynx; therefore, their disproportionate overexpression during cancer resulted in about equimolar expression. Both proteoglycans' expression correlated with their stage-related accumulation within the tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
These data add to our previous findings and support the view that the levels of expression and the extent of accumulation and localization in the tumor stroma of structurally modified versican and decorin could be associated with the degree of aggressiveness of laryngeal carcinoma.
Stylianou
M
M
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26500 Patras, Greece.
Skandalis
S S
SS
Papadas
T A
TA
Mastronikolis
N S
NS
Theocharis
D A
DA
Papageorgakopoulou
N
N
Vynios
D H
DH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053674:Aggrecans / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D058575:Decorin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053675:Versicans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
C508319:ACAN protein, human; D053674:Aggrecans; C546878:DCN protein, human; D058575:Decorin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C508322:VCAN protein, human; D053675:Versicans