Premium
The stratum corneum chymotryptic enzyme that mediates shedding and desquamation of skin cells is highly overexpressed in ovarian tumor cells
Author(s) -
Tanimoto Hirotoshi,
Underwood Lowell J.,
Shigemasa Kazushi,
Yan M.S. Yan,
Clarke John,
Parmley Tim H.,
O'Brien Timothy J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19991115)86:10<2074::aid-cncr27>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - ovarian tumor , metastasis , northern blot , biology , cancer research , ovarian carcinoma , western blot , ovarian cancer , cell culture , immunohistochemistry , pathology , gene expression , cancer , gene , medicine , biochemistry , immunology , genetics
BACKGROUND Proteases play essential roles in the process of tumor invasion and metastasis. The serine protease stratum corneum chymotryptic enzyme (SCCE) has been purified from human stratum corneum and is known to contribute to the cell shedding process by catalyzing the degradation of intercellular cohesive structures at the skin surface. The presence of SCCE on the surface of tumor cells suggests it also may contribute to the process of tumor cell shedding, resulting in early metastasis of carcinoma. METHODS Gene expression of SCCE was investigated in 44 ovarian tumors (12 low malignant potential tumors and 32 carcinomas) and 10 normal ovaries by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR product was labeled with 32 P and a phosphoimager was used to determine the relative expression of SCCE compared with an internal control B‐tubulin. mRNA transcripts were studied by Northern blot hybridization and protein expression and localization was examined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS mRNA expression levels of SCCE were elevated significantly in 66.7% of 12 low malignant potential tumors and 78.1% of 32 carcinomas. Furthermore, SCCE protein was abundant in tumor cells and tumor cell lines that overexpressed the mRNA transcript. CONCLUSIONS The results of the current study suggest that SCCE frequently is overexpressed in ovarian tumors and therefore may contribute to tumor cell growth, tumor spread, and the metastatic potential of ovarian tumor cells. Cancer 1999;86:2074–82. © 1999 American Cancer Society.