Versican-like large proteoglycan and tenascin are extracellular matrix (ECM) components which are thought to contribute to the control of cell behavior during embryonal development especially in neural crest cell migration and differentiation, cartilage development, and central nervous system histogenesis. Since these ECMs are also appear in a certain human malignant tumour, tliese are thought to be oncofetal ECMs. In present study, the immunohistochemical distribution of versican-like large proteoglycan and tenascin was investigated in 70 human tongue cancers (squamous cell carcinoma) and 19 radical neck dissection cases with regards to the histological degree of malignancy, biological degree of malignancy evaluated by the staining of Ki-67 antigen, p 53 protein expression, and with or without evidence of regional lymph node metastasis.
The expression of chondroitin sulfate, versican-like large proteoglycan, and tenascin on the specific stroma of human tongue cancer increased according to the high-malignant grade of differentiation, mode of invasion, and histological malignancy grade of it. These expressions were also related to the Ki-67 antigen expression of cancer cells. The expression of p 53 protein of cancer cells was related with that of versican-like large proteoglycan, but not with tenascin. In primary lesions with regional lymph node metastasis, the expression of chondroitin sulfate, versican-like large proteoglycan, and tenascin had a tendency to increase more than those without metastasis. The same expressions were seen on metastatic lesions of regional lymph node.
These results suggest that versican-like large proteoglycan and tenascin on the stroma of human tongue cancer may play a role in the tumour progression as a promotive factors.
