title: Overexpressions of Vimentin and Integrins in Human Metastatic Spine Tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To comparatively investigate the expression of several integrins in specimens of human bone metastases and degenerative bone tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Degenerative cancellous tissue was obtained from a sample of human degenerative spine. Thirteen human specimens were obtained from metastatic spine tumors, whose primary cancer was colon cancer (n=3), hepatocellular cancer (n=3), lung cancer (n=4), and breast cancer (n=3). The expression of vimentin and integrins αv, β1, and β3 was assessed in metastatic and degenerative specimens by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemical staining showed that vimentin and integrin αv was broadly expressed in all tissues examined. By contrast, integrin β1 was weakly expressed only in 38.4% (5/13) of tissues. Integrin β3 was consistently negative in all cases examined. qRT-PCR analysis showed that vimentin gene expression was higher in all metastatic specimens, as compared to degenerative bone. The gene expression of integrin αv in breast specimen was significantly higher than others (p=0.045). The gene expression of integrin β1 was also higher in all metastatic specimens than in degenerative bone tissue. The gene expression of integrin β3 was variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spinal metastatic tumors have mesenchymal characteristics such as increased expression of vimentin. The increased expression of integrin αv and β1 in spine metastatic tumors suggests that adhesive molecules such as integrin may have implications for the prevention of spine metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Bae
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Seob
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chi Heon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Korea. ; Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chun Kee
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chung
keywords: Integrin αv; Metastasis; Spine; Vimentin