Open AccessExpression of CD44 Variant Exons 8–10 in Colorectal Cancer and Its Relationship to Metastasis
Author(s) -
Takeuchi Kazuo,
Yamaguchi Akio,
Urano Takeshi,
Goi Takanori,
Nakagawara Gizo,
Shiku Hiroshi
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
japanese journal of cancer research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 0910-5050
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1995.tb03053.x
Subject(s) - exon , cd44 , metastasis , colorectal cancer , cancer research , cancer , pathology , medicine , biology , gene , cell , genetics
Splice variants of CD44 are overexpressed in human lung, breast, and colon carcinoma cell lines. This study was conducted to clarify the association between the expression of CD44 variant exons 8–10 and metastatic potential in human colorectal cancer. We found that the expression of a CD44 splice variant containing exons v8–10 was increased in all of 60 colorectal cancer specimens examined compared with matched normal colorectal mucosa, as determined by Northern blotting. Expression of CD44 variant exons 8–10 did not significantly correlate with histological type, depth of tumor invasion, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, or lymph node metastasis. However, the level of CD44 variant exon 8–10 expression was significantly higher in carcinomas associated with liver metastasis than in those without liver metastasis. In addition, expression of CD44 variant exons 8–10 in the liver metastases was more intense than that in the primary colorectal cancers. These findings indicated that this domain of the CD44 glycoprotein encoded by exons v8–10 may play an important role in tumor hematogenous metastasis of human colorectal cancer.