Overexpressions of Vimentin and Integrins in Human Metastatic Spine Tumors

초록

Objective : To comparatively investigate the expression of several integrins in specimens of human bone metastases and degenerative bone tissue. Methods : Degenerative cancellous tissue was obtained from a sample of human degenerative spine. Thirteen human specimens were obtained from metastatic spine tumors, whose primary cancer was colon cancer (n=3), hepatocellular cancer (n=3), lung cancer (n=4), and breast cancer (n=3). The expression of vimentin and integrins alpha v, beta 1, and beta 3 was assessed in metastatic and degenerative specimens by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results : Immunohistochemical staining showed that vimentin and integrin av was broadly expressed in all tissues examined. By contrast, integrin 131 was weakly expressed only in 38.4% (5/13) of tissues. lntegrin beta 3 was consistently negative in all cases examined. qRT-PCR analysis showed that vimentin gene expression was higher in all metastatic specimens, as compared to degenerative bone. The gene expression of integrin alpha v in breast specimen was significantly higher than others (p=0.045). The gene expression of integrin beta 1 was also higher in all metastatic specimens than in degenerative bone tissue. The gene expression of integrin beta 3 was variable. Conclusion : Spinal metastatic tumors have mesenchymal characteristics such as increased expression of vimentin. The increased expression of integrin av and beta 1 in spine metastatic tumors suggests that adhesive molecules such as integrin may have implications for the prevention of spine metastasis.

키워드