Abstract
Interactions between cancer cells and extracellular matrix components which regulate cell differentiation as cell enviromental factors play an important role during tumor in vasion and metastasis. In order to clarify the relationship between cancer invasion and extracellular matrix components in human colon carcinoma, the localization of laminin (LN), type N collagen (C-IV), fibronectin (FN), and type III collagen (C-III) and their receptors were immunohistochemically examined and the expression of 72 kDa type IV coll agenase (matrix metalloprotease (MMP-2) mRNA was observed using in situ hybridization.
In the colonic cancer cells, irregular localization of LN and C-IV was observed in the basement membrane. The distribution was much more irregular, depending on the invasion in lymph and blood vessels. LN receptor was localized in cancer cells. However, the localization of FN receptor and β integrator interstitial cells and localization of extracellular matrix was increased in proportion to cancer invasion.
The reverse trascription polymerase chain reaction method revealed the expression of MMP-2 mRNA in colon carcinoma. The in situ hybridization method revealed the expression of MMP-2 mRNA in the stroma cells around the cancer cell nest. These results suggest that extracellular matrices, the receptors, and collagenase seem to be related to growth, infiltration, and metastasis of cancer cells in the colon.
