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Retinoic acid receptors and retinoid binding proteins in endometrial adenocarcinoma: Differential expression of cellular retinoid binding proteins in endometrioid tumours
Author(s) -
Siddiqui Nadeem A.,
Thomas Eric J.,
Dunlop William,
Redfern Christopher P. F.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910640408
Subject(s) - retinoid , retinoic acid , biology , cancer research , adenocarcinoma , epithelium , endocrinology , retinoic acid receptor , medicine , pathology , cell culture , cancer , genetics
Retinoic acid is apparently required for the normal differentiation of reproductive epithelium. Cellular abnormalities in retinoid homeostasis could be a factor in the development of endometrial malignancy. We have thus investigated the expression of nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs and RXRs) and cellular binding proteins for retinol (CRBP) and retinoic acid (CRABP) in endometrial adenocarcinoma of the endometrioid histological subtype. Ten grade 1, 11 grade 2 and 10 grade 3 tumour samples, as well as 4 samples of severe atypical precan‐cerous endometrial hyperplasia, were studied. No significant difference in expression of RAR‐β was detected in tumour samples compared with normal epithelial cells. RAR‐γ was significantly elevated in grade 1 and 2 carcinomas, but this may be due to greater stromal cell involvement in these lower grade tumours. There was significant elevation of CRBP 1 mRNA in tumour samples. Furthermore, although undetectable in normal endometrial epithelium, CRABP 1 was expressed in 3/11 grade 2 and 9/10 grade 3 carcinomas, with expression being significantly higher where the primary tumour had invaded more than 50% of the total myometrial thickness. Analysis of 2 epithelial‐like endometrial adenocarcinoma cell lines supported the idea that CRABP 1 expression is characteristic of poorly differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma. Our data suggest that alterations in mechanisms of retinoid homeostasis are a feature of endometrial adenocarcinoma and may contribute to the severity of disease. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.