Abstract
The surface of a normal ovary is covered by a monolayer of epithelial cells that rest on a basement membrane. The glycoprotein laminin is the major noncollagenous protein present in the basement membrane. The integrins α1β1, α2β1, α3β1, α6β1, and α6β4 serve as cell surface receptors for laminin. During the progression of serous ovarian carcinoma, tumor cells are frequently exfoliated from the surface of the ovary, thereby losing contact with the basement membrane. This study was designed to determine whether alterations in integrin expression may be associated with the malignant phenotype of the primary ovarian tumor and exfoliated ovarian carcinoma cells in the ascites fluid. By immunohistochemical staining, the entire surface of epithelial cells of normal ovaries stained positively for β1, α2, and α3 integrins, whereas only the basal surface of the epithelial cells, where they are in contact with laminin, stained positively for α6 and β4. The entire surface of epithelial cells of solid tumors from patients with serous ovarian carcinoma stained positively for β1, α2, and α3 integrins. In most cases, no intact basement membrane surrounded the tumor nests, and staining for α6 and β4 was irregular. When present, the basement membrane stained positively for laminin, and the basal surface of the epithelial cells stained positively for α6 and β4. Ovarian carcinoma ascites cells exhibited a distinct phenotype, with a significant decrease in expression of the α6 and β4 integrin subunits. As α6 and β4 integrin subunits are present at the basal surface of many epithelial cells and serve as receptors for laminin, it is possible that ovarian carcinoma epithelial cells may be released from the basement membrane of the ovary due to their deficit of α6 and β4 integrin subunits.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1445-1461 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | American Journal of Pathology |
| Volume | 148 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| State | Published - May 1 1996 |
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Expression of α6 and β4 integrins in serous ovarian carcinoma correlates with expression of the basement membrane protein laminin. / Skubitz, Amy P; Bast, Robert C.; Wayner, Elizabeth A.; Letourneau, Paul C.; Wilke, Mark S.
In: American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 148, No. 5, 01.05.1996, p. 1445-1461.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Expression of α6 and β4 integrins in serous ovarian carcinoma correlates with expression of the basement membrane protein laminin
AU - Skubitz, Amy P
AU - Bast, Robert C.
AU - Wayner, Elizabeth A.
AU - Letourneau, Paul C.
AU - Wilke, Mark S.
PY - 1996/5/1
Y1 - 1996/5/1
N2 - The surface of a normal ovary is covered by a monolayer of epithelial cells that rest on a basement membrane. The glycoprotein laminin is the major noncollagenous protein present in the basement membrane. The integrins α1β1, α2β1, α3β1, α6β1, and α6β4 serve as cell surface receptors for laminin. During the progression of serous ovarian carcinoma, tumor cells are frequently exfoliated from the surface of the ovary, thereby losing contact with the basement membrane. This study was designed to determine whether alterations in integrin expression may be associated with the malignant phenotype of the primary ovarian tumor and exfoliated ovarian carcinoma cells in the ascites fluid. By immunohistochemical staining, the entire surface of epithelial cells of normal ovaries stained positively for β1, α2, and α3 integrins, whereas only the basal surface of the epithelial cells, where they are in contact with laminin, stained positively for α6 and β4. The entire surface of epithelial cells of solid tumors from patients with serous ovarian carcinoma stained positively for β1, α2, and α3 integrins. In most cases, no intact basement membrane surrounded the tumor nests, and staining for α6 and β4 was irregular. When present, the basement membrane stained positively for laminin, and the basal surface of the epithelial cells stained positively for α6 and β4. Ovarian carcinoma ascites cells exhibited a distinct phenotype, with a significant decrease in expression of the α6 and β4 integrin subunits. As α6 and β4 integrin subunits are present at the basal surface of many epithelial cells and serve as receptors for laminin, it is possible that ovarian carcinoma epithelial cells may be released from the basement membrane of the ovary due to their deficit of α6 and β4 integrin subunits.
AB - The surface of a normal ovary is covered by a monolayer of epithelial cells that rest on a basement membrane. The glycoprotein laminin is the major noncollagenous protein present in the basement membrane. The integrins α1β1, α2β1, α3β1, α6β1, and α6β4 serve as cell surface receptors for laminin. During the progression of serous ovarian carcinoma, tumor cells are frequently exfoliated from the surface of the ovary, thereby losing contact with the basement membrane. This study was designed to determine whether alterations in integrin expression may be associated with the malignant phenotype of the primary ovarian tumor and exfoliated ovarian carcinoma cells in the ascites fluid. By immunohistochemical staining, the entire surface of epithelial cells of normal ovaries stained positively for β1, α2, and α3 integrins, whereas only the basal surface of the epithelial cells, where they are in contact with laminin, stained positively for α6 and β4. The entire surface of epithelial cells of solid tumors from patients with serous ovarian carcinoma stained positively for β1, α2, and α3 integrins. In most cases, no intact basement membrane surrounded the tumor nests, and staining for α6 and β4 was irregular. When present, the basement membrane stained positively for laminin, and the basal surface of the epithelial cells stained positively for α6 and β4. Ovarian carcinoma ascites cells exhibited a distinct phenotype, with a significant decrease in expression of the α6 and β4 integrin subunits. As α6 and β4 integrin subunits are present at the basal surface of many epithelial cells and serve as receptors for laminin, it is possible that ovarian carcinoma epithelial cells may be released from the basement membrane of the ovary due to their deficit of α6 and β4 integrin subunits.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029915884&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0029915884&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 8623916
AN - SCOPUS:0029915884
VL - 148
SP - 1445
EP - 1461
JO - American Journal of Pathology
JF - American Journal of Pathology
SN - 0002-9440
IS - 5
ER -