Can alterations in integrin and laminin‐5 expression be used as markers of malignancy?

Abstract

Development of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) involves alterations in the adhesive interactions in the epithelium and invasion through the basement membrane. Therefore, changes in the expression of receptors and ligands involved in cell‐cell and cell‐matrix adhesion may be essential for the transformation of a premalignant into a malignant lesion. The aim of this study was to examine if expression of specific cell adhesion molecules can be used as markers of malignant development. By immunohistochemistry, we examined the expression pattern of integrins α2β1, α3β1, α6β4 and laminin‐5 in biopsies from SCCs (n=18), premalignant lesions (leukoplakias, n=21) and non‐premalignant tissue with chronic inflammation (n=11). In poorly differentiated SCCs, patchy loss of α3β1, α6β4 and laminin‐5 expression was pronounced at the invasion front, whereas there was a tendency to increased expression of α2β1. Analogous to the SCCs, biopsies from the leukoplakias and the non‐premalignant inflammatory tissue showed alterations of the expression of α3β1 and α6β4 in the basal cell layers and of laminin‐5. However, a characteristic finding in biopsies from leukoplakias was loss of α2β1 and α3β1 in the suprabasal cells. There was no unequivocal expression of the adhesion molecules distinguishing between inflammatory tissue, premalignant, and malignant lesions.

Fibrillary co-deposition of laminin-5 and large unspliced tenascin-C in the invasive front of oral squamous cell carcinoma in vivo and in vitro

“…Three distinct invasion-associated immunohistochemical Ln-5 patterns are recognised: (a) an intracellular Ln-5 accumulation in invading carcinoma cell complexes; (b) a focal loss from BM of the invasive front; and (c) an Ln-5 deposition within the stroma beneath invading carcinoma cell complexes (Sordat et al 1998;Thorup et al 1998;Koshikawa et al 1999;Kosmehl et al 1999). At present, only few data are available concerning the morphological features of stromal Ln-5 deposition and interaction with other extracellular matrix proteins.…”

Adhesive Mechanisms Regulating Invasion and Metastasis in Oral Cancer

“…Immunohistochemical analysis of invasive and metastatic tumor biopsies also indicated a marked expression of ei2rl (Thorup et al, 1998;Shinohara et al, 1999). In contrast, loss of this same receptor, as compared with normal epithelium, has been found to have the strongest correlation with SCC tumor progression.…”

Laminin-derived peptide AG73 regulates migration, invasion, and protease activity of human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells through syndecan-1 and β1 integrin

“…Integrins are major laminin receptors that mediate cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation [37]. Overexpression of α2β1 and α3β1 integrins in squamous cell carcinoma has been already described [38,39]. In vitro studies showed that squamous carcinoma cells use α6β1 integrin to adhere and migrate over laminin-111 [40].…”