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Distribution of collagen type IV α1–6 chains in human normal colorectum and colorectal cancer demonstrated by immunofluorescence staining using chain‐specific epitope‐defined monoclonal antibodies
Author(s) -
Oka Yuko,
Naito Ichiro,
Manabe Koji,
Sado Yoshikazu,
Matsushima Hiroshi,
Ninomiya Yoshifumi,
Mizuno Motowo,
Tsuji Takao
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1746.2002.02789.x
Subject(s) - staining , pathology , monoclonal antibody , adenocarcinoma , colorectal cancer , immunohistochemistry , immunofluorescence , basement membrane , epithelium , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer , antibody , medicine , biology , immunology
Background and Aim: Loss of basement membrane (BM) components, such as type IV collagen, has been demonstrated in colorectal cancer, but the fine diversity of the assembly of α (IV) chains, the composition of type IV collagen, and alterations in the collagen have not been fully analyzed. Here, we defined immunohistochemically the expression of α1–6 (IV) chains in colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent normal mucosa by the use of chain‐specific monoclonal antibodies. Methods: Tissue samples of tumor and adjacent normal mucosa obtained from patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma were stained with chain‐specific monoclonal antibodies raised against synthetic peptides of individual α (IV) chains using an indirect immunofluorescence method. Results: In the normal mucosa, α1 (IV), α2 (IV), α5 (IV), and α6 (IV) were found in the BM‐delineating mucosal epithelium and the gland crypts, whereas α3 (IV) and α4 (IV) were limited to the BM of the luminal surface epithelium. In contrast, staining of α3–6 (IV) was rarely observed in the BM of cancer cells. Staining of α1 (IV) and α2 (IV) was reduced or lost from the cancer BM in relation to the degree of tumor differentiation: continuous staining in well‐differentiated portions, discontinuous staining in moderately differentiated portions, and absence of staining in poorly differentiated portions. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that type IV collagen expression is altered in the BM of colorectal cancer as a result of changes of α (IV) chain expression, particularly α1 (IV) and α2 (IV), in relation to the degree of tumor differentiation. © 2002 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd