title: Validation of COL11A1/procollagen 11A1 expression in TGF-β1-activated immortalised human mesenchymal cells and in stromal cells of human colon adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The human COL11A1 gene has been shown to be up-regulated in stromal cells of colorectal tumours, but, so far, the immunodetection of procollagen 11A1, the primary protein product of COL11A1, has not been studied in detail in human colon adenocarcinomas. Some cancer-associated stromal cells seem to be derived from bone marrow mesenchymal cells; the expression of the COL11A1 gene and the parallel immunodetection of procollagen 11A1 have not been evaluated in these latter cells, either.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used quantitative RT-PCR and/or immunocytochemistry to study the expression of DES/desmin, VIM/vimentin, ACTA2/αSMA (alpha smooth muscle actin) and COL11A1/procollagen 11A1 in HCT 116 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, in immortalised human bone marrow mesenchymal cells and in human colon adenocarcinoma-derived cultured stromal cells. The immunodetection of procollagen 11A1 was performed with the new recently described DMTX1/1E8.33 mouse monoclonal antibody. Human colon adenocarcinomas and non-malignant colon tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry as well. Statistical associations were sought between anti-procollagen 11A1 immunoscoring and patient clinicopathological features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Procollagen 11A1 was immunodetected in human bone marrow mesenchymal cells and in human colon adenocarcinoma-associated spindle-shaped stromal cells but not in colon epithelial or stromal cells of the normal colon. This immunodetection paralleled, in both kinds of cells, that of the other mesenchymal-related biomarkers studied: vimentin and alpha smooth muscle actin, but not desmin. Thus, procollagen 11A1(+) adenocarcinoma-associated stromal cells are similar to "activated myofibroblasts". In the series of human colon adenocarcinomas here studied, a high procollagen 11A1 expression was associated with nodal involvement (p = 0.05), the development of distant metastases (p = 0.017), and advanced Dukes stages (p = 0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immunodetection of procollagen 11A1 in cancer-associated stromal cells could be a useful biomarker for human colon adenocarcinoma characterisation.
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Galván
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Martínez
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Villa
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Ocaña
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Pravia
authors.forename: Primitiva
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Menéndez-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González-del Rey
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barneo-Serra
authors.affiliation: Oncology University Institute of the Principality of Asturias (IUOPA), 33006 Oviedo, Spain. jrtoyos@uniovi.es.
authors.forename: Juan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de los Toyos
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D024161:Collagen Type XI / Q000235:genetics*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017154:Stromal Cells; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C574182:COL11A1 protein, human; D024161:Collagen Type XI; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1