[Expression of integrin beta1 in squamous cell carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of integrin beta1 in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and explore the relationship between stem cell marker and SCC.


METHODS
The expressions of integrin beta1 in SCC tissues and SCC cell strain A431 were detected with immunohistochemical methods and cell staining method. The differentiation of SCC cells were induced with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA). The changes of integrin beta1 levels before and after induction were detected with RT-PCR.


RESULTS
In highly differentiated SCC tissues, integrin beta1 was constantly expressed in the basal-like cells in the edge of tumor; some cells inside arranged as island also showed positive integrin beta1 expression. In poorly differentiated SCC tissues, island-like integrin beta1-positive cells remarkably increased and distributed in a diffuse way. In SCC A431 cells, integrin beta1 was expressed unevenly in tumor cells. After treatment by ATRA, level of integrin beta1 mRNA in A431 cells significantly decreased compared with untreated control (P < 0.05), and the ratios between the intensity values of integrin beta1 to beta-actin were 0.071 +/- 0.025 and 0.029 +/- 0.018 at 24 h and 48 h, respectively, whereas in controls were 0.148 +/- 0.027 and 0.136 +/- 0.011 (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Integrin beta1 is heterogeneously expressed in both SCC tissues and SCC A431 cells. The expression of Integrin beta1 decreases when the differentiation level of tumor cells increase, indicating that integrin beta1 is closely related with the initiation of SCC and potential cancer stem cells in SCC.
Department of Dermatology, Second Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China. gsm312@yahoo.com
Song-mei
SM
Geng
Lan
L
Li
Qian-qian
QQ
Wang
Wei-hui
WH
Zeng
Hu-ling
HL
Yan
Sheng-xiang
SX
Xiao
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D019012:Integrin beta1