title: Involvement of hyaluronidases in colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyaluronidases belong to a class of enzymes that degrade, predominantly, hyaluronan. These enzymes are known to be involved in physiological and pathological processes, such as tumor growth, infiltration and angiogenesis, but their exact role in tumor promotion or suppression is not clear yet. Advanced colorectal cancer is associated with elevated amounts of hyaluronan of varying size. The aim of the present study was therefore to illuminate the importance of hyaluronidases in colon carcinoma progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients' samples (macroscopically normal and cancerous) were subjected to sequential extraction with PBS, 4 M GdnHCl and 4 M GdnHCl --1% Triton X-100. The presence of the various hyaluronidases in the extracts was examined by zymography and western blotting. Their expression was also examined by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among hyaluronidases examined, Hyal-1, -2, -3 and PH-20 were detected. Their activity was higher in cancerous samples. Hyal-1 and Hyal-2 were overexpressed in cancerous samples, especially in advanced stages of cancer. Both isoforms were mainly extracted with PBS. Hyal-3 was observed only in the third extract of advanced stages of cancer. PH-20 was abundant in all three extracts of all stages of cancer. The expression of only Hyal-1 and PH-20 was verified by RT-PCR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high association of hyaluronidases in colorectal cancer was observed. Each hyaluronidase presented different tissue distribution, which indicated the implication of certain isoforms in certain cancer stages. The results provided new evidence on the mechanisms involved in the progression of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bouga
authors.forename: Isidoros
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsouros
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bounias
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kyriakopoulou
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Stavropoulos
authors.forename: Nikoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papageorgakopoulou
authors.forename: Dimitrios A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Theocharis
authors.forename: Demitrios H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Vynios
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003106:Colon / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012007:Rectum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C473096:Hyal2 protein, human; D006821:Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; C066852:hyaluronidase PH-20