Abnormal Expression of Epiligrin and α6β4 Integrin in Basal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

We propose that reduced expression of epiligrin is involved in the pathogenesis of the local invasion by tumor and that an altered integrin ratio in basal cell carcinoma enhances tumor spread.

Altered expression of collagen XVII in ameloblastomas and basal cell carcinomas

“…Most tumors are connected with the epidermis and invade the dermis as solid or cystic nodules, frequently separated from the surrounding stroma by peritumoral lacunae (31). Various molecular components of the epidermal hemidesmosome-anchoring filament complex have been shown to be absent or significantly reduced in BM surrounding an infiltrating tumor (32,33).…”

Anti-?4 integrin antibodies enhance migratory and invasive abilities of human colon adenocarcinoma cells and their MMP-2 expression

“…Some evidence indicates that the putative signaling functions of ␣6␤4 integrin play a significant role in promoting invasion, namely, when the integrin interacts with laminin produced by tumor cells (Tagliabue et al, 1998). In fact, laminin-1 and laminin-5 are ligands for the ␣6␤4 integrin (Rabinovitz and Mercurio, 1996): under-expression of laminin-5 and ␣6␤4 integrin is associated with local invasion of basal cell carcinoma (Schofield et al, 1998) and colorectal cancer (Sordat et al, 1998). However, the role of the ␤4 integrin subunit in tumor progression is poorly understood and remains a focus of intense research.…”

Urocanic acid suppresses induction of immunity in human skin

“…Skin biopsy specimens from treated and untreated sites on the arm (3 mm) were removed using 1% lidocaine anesthesia with epinephrine, then snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored in liquid nitrogen. Several 4-mcg vertical frozen tissue sections were incubated with monoclonal mouse antibody to human antigen CD1 (DakoCytomation, Carpinteria, CA, USA) to identify Langerhans cells, and stains were developed (11). The average number of Langerhans cells in four histologic sections of each biopsy specimen was used to compare Langerhans cell numbers in C-UCA-treated sites with those in untreated sites.…”