Expression of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen, a Serine Protease Inhibitor, in the Integument of Vertebrates: Possible Role in Stratification of Epidermis.

Abstract

Terrestrial vertebrates, particularly eutherian species, show highly stratified epithelium. Recent evidence has indicated that the special organization of the stratification depends largely upon a variety of adhesion molecules, and therefore probably upon some proteases and their inhibitors.The present paper shows the expression of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC antigen), a new serine protease inhibitor, in the integuments of various vertebrate species. In Southern blot analysis, SCC antigen gene was detected in human, monkey, dog, cat, horse, cow, goat, and rabbit, but not in wallaby, chicken, tortoise, frog, or carp. Immunohistochemical studies with the monoclonal antibody against SCC antigen revealed that this protein is present at the intermediate layer of the human squamous epithelium but not at the parabasal layer. SCC antigen is also absent at the epithelial region adjacent to the squamo-columnar junction where the stratification is not fully organized yet. These results indicate that SCC antigen may play an important role in the regulation of the stratification of squamous epithelium.

Electrophoretic analysis of the cleaved form of serpin, squamous cell carcinoma antigen‐1 in normal and malignant squamous epithelial tissues

“…SCC antigen was also expressed in the intermediate layer of normal squamous epithelium, indicating that SCC antigen may play an important role in the regulation of squamous stratification [2][3][4]. Recent data demonstrated that the SCC antigen consists of two highly homologous SCC antigen-1 and SCC antigen-2, which belong to the serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) family [5,6].…”

Specific Detection and Quantitation of <i>SCC Antigen 1</i> and <i>SCC Antigen 2</i> mRNAs by Fluorescence-Based Asymmetric Semi-Nested Reverse Transcription PCR

“…Measurement of the serum SCCA level has been used clinically for the diagnosis and management of cancer of the uterine cervix and some other organs [2][3][4][5][6]. SCCA is also expressed in normal squamous epithelium, and previous reports have indicated that SCCA is closely related with cell differentiation of normal squamous epithelium as well as malignant squamous cells [7][8][9][10][11].…”

Involvement of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen in Invasion and Metastasis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Uterine Cervix

“…Interestingly, SCCA levels begin to increase at 18-20 weeks of pregnancy for the first time when the fetal epidermis begins to cornify during the development of human fetal skins [18]. SCCA genes has been found in most of the eutheria (placental mammals), but not in other vertebrates [19]. Furthermore, several eutherian species show heterogeneous patterns of SCCA nucleotides in Southern blot analyses [19].…”

“…SCCA genes has been found in most of the eutheria (placental mammals), but not in other vertebrates [19]. Furthermore, several eutherian species show heterogeneous patterns of SCCA nucleotides in Southern blot analyses [19]. This suggests that SCCA has had a role in the stratification and differentiation of integuments during evolutional change.…”