title: Thymosin β4 expression reveals intriguing similarities between fetal and cancer cells.
abstract: Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is highly expressed in saliva of human newborns but not in adults. Here preliminary immunohistochemical analyses on different human tissues are reported. Immunoreactivity for Tβ4 in human salivary glands show high quantities of Tβ4 before birth, followed by downregulation of expression in adulthood. In contrast, Tβ4 is detected in tumors of salivary glands, suggesting that tumor cells might utilize fetal programs, including Tβ4 synthesis. Immunohistochemical analyses in the gastrointestinal tract showed strong reactivity for Tβ4 in enterocytes during development, but weak immunostaining in mature enterocytes. In colorectal cancer, the association of a high expression of Tβ4 with epithelial-mesenchymal transition was observed. On the basis of these data, the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition could represent the unifying process that explains the role of Tβ4 during fetal development and in cancer progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Hospital San Giovanni di Dio, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gavino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faa
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nemolato
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cabras
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fanni
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gerosa
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fanari
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Locci
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fanos
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Messana
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castagnola
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D013947:Thymosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)
chemical_list: D013947:Thymosin; D000099201:Thymosin beta(4)