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Nuclear localization of the metastasis‐related protein S100A4 correlates with tumour stage in colorectal cancer
Author(s) -
Flatmark Kjersti,
Pedersen Kjetil Boye,
Nesland Jahn M,
Rasmussen Heidi,
Aamodt Geir,
Mikalsen SveinOle,
Bjørnland Kristin,
Fodstad Øystein,
Mælandsmo Gunhild M
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.1381
Subject(s) - colorectal cancer , cancer , pathology , metastasis , phenotype , biology , immunohistochemistry , western blot , stage (stratigraphy) , cancer cell , cancer research , gene expression , medicine , gene , genetics , paleontology
Abstract A large number of experimental studies have linked the S100A4 gene product to the metastatic phenotype of cancer cells and clinical evidence indicates a correlation between S100A4 expression and poor prognosis in several cancer types. The aim of the present study was to analyse the expression of the S100A4 protein in colorectal cancer. Paraffin‐embedded samples from 277 colorectal cancer patients were immunostained with anti‐S100A4 antibody. Cytoplasmic staining was observed in 178 of 277 samples (64%), whereas, unexpectedly, nuclear expression of S100A4 was found in 88 of 277 of the samples (32%). This novel finding was confirmed by western blot analysis of nuclear fractions isolated from frozen tumour tissue. Statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between nuclear expression of S100A4 and tumour stage at diagnosis, while there was no such correlation between cytoplasmic staining and tumour stage. The nuclear localization of S100A4 in colorectal cancer and its relationship to tumour stage suggest that this protein may be involved in gene regulatory pathways of relevance to the metastatic phenotype of cancer cells. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.