Tenascin-W is a better cancer biomarker than tenascin-C for most human solid tumors

Abstract

BackgroundTenascins are large glycoproteins found in the extracellular matrix of many embryonic and adult tissues. Tenascin-C is a well-studied biomarker known for its high overexpression in the stroma of most solid cancers. Tenascin-W, the least studied member of the family, is highly expressed in the stroma of colon and breast tumors and in gliomas, but not in the corresponding normal tissues. Other solid tumors have not been analyzed. The present study was undertaken to determine whether tenascin-W could serve as a cancer-specific extracellular matrix protein in a broad range of solid tumors.MethodsWe analyzed the expression of tenascin-W and tenascin-C by immunoblotting and by immunohistochemistry on multiple frozen tissue microarrays of carcinomas of the pancreas, kidney and lung as well as melanomas and compared them to healthy tissues.ResultsFrom all healthy adult organs tested, only liver and spleen showed detectable levels of tenascin-W, suggesting that tenascin-W is absent from most human adult organs under normal, non-pathological conditions. In contrast, tenascin-W was detectable in the majority of melanomas and their metastases, as well as in pancreas, kidney, and lung carcinomas. Comparing lung tumor samples and matching control tissues for each patient revealed a clear overexpression of tenascin-W in tumor tissues. Although the number of samples examined is too small to draw statistically significant conclusions, there seems to be a tendency for increased tenascin-W expression in higher grade tumors. Interestingly, in most tumor types, tenascin-W is also expressed in close proximity to blood vessels, as shown by CD31 co-staining of the samples.ConclusionsThe present study extends the tumor biomarker potential of tenascin-W to a broad range of solid tumors and shows its accessibility from the blood stream for potential therapeutic strategies.

Tenascin-C and tenascin-W in whisker follicle stem cell niches: possible roles in regulating stem cell proliferation and migration

“…Tenascin-W is the most recently characterized member of the tenascin gene family. Similar to tenascin-C, it is found in the stroma of many solid tumors (Brellier et al, 2012a). Tenascin-W is also expressed in developing and adult trabecular bone, and it promotes the migration and proliferation of osteoblasts in vitro (Meloty-Kapella et al, 2008).…”

Tenascin-C: Form versus function

“…Interestingly, tenascin-W exhibits an even more restricted expression pattern in normal tissues than tenascin-C and has been proposed as a superior biomarker for malignancy. 150 Therapeutic exploitation of tenascin-C splice variants The strong association between the expression of alternatively spliced FNIII repeats of tenascin-C with tumors, and in many cases very aggressive tumors, combined with their reduced expression in normal healthy tissues has raised interest in pharmacological targeting of these modules. These studies are extensively reviewed in, 3 and are therefore only summarized below.…”

Immunohistochemical Analysis of Matrix Metalloproteinases-1,-9 and Tenascin in Odontogenic Lesions

“…Although tenascin is known to be produced by mesenchymal cells, recent studies have shown that epithelial cells also contribute to its production (8). According to Regezi et al (22), tenascin is localized at the epithelial-connective tissue interface and is expressed by both mesenchymal cells and keratinocytes.…”

“…Still, the relationship between MMP and tenascin expression and the biological behavior of odontogenic lesions has not yet been identified. Based on the facts that MMPs are implicated in tumor progression (7) together with local invasiveness and that tenascin has been suggested to affect epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in some tumors (8), the purpose of our study was to evaluate MMP-I, -9 and tenascin expression in ABLs and KOTs by immunohistochemical assessment. The expression patterns of MMP-I, -9 and tenascin in these lesions are hypothesized to be associated with their local aggressive behavior.…”