title: Differential staining of γ synuclein in poorly differentiated compared             to highly differentiated colon cancer cells.
abstract: Synuclein α, β and γ are proteins usually found in neurodegenerative diseases.             However, interestingly synucleins are expressed in cancer cells of several organs             including ovary, mammary gland and colon. By immunocytochemistry using specific             antibodies to γ synuclein (SNCG), we examined the distribution of this protein             in poorly differentiated, compared to highly differentiated colon cancer cells.             In poorly differentiated cancer cells tumors were very frequently stained intensely             with antibodies to SNGG, suggesting high expression of this protein. In contrast,             in highly differentiated cells, there was no labeling. Labeled cells could be             found only at the edges or in between the lobules of the differentiated tumor             cells. However, in moderately differentiated tumors, a weak cytoplasmic staining             of SNCG was evident. Interestingly in cancer patients (stage II-IV) both poorly             and highly differentiated tumor cells were often present in the same patient.             Labeled cancer cells with SNCG were evident also in lymph nodes, around the wall             of blood vessels and in fat tissue, where only poorly differentiated cancer cells             were exclusively present. Since cancer cells with poor differentiation are believed             to be aggressive with metastases formation it is suggested that SNCG can serve             as a marker for the potential of the tumor cell for the rapid spreading and metastazing             of the non-differentiated tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. abraham.amsterdam@weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amsterdam
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shezen
authors.forename: Calanit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raanan
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Slilat
authors.forename: Yakov
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fabrikant
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melzer
mesh_terms: D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D051845:gamma-Synuclein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051845:gamma-Synuclein