Immunohistochemical study of collagen synthesis in an in-vitro model of scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

The mechanisms involved in the unique stromal change that occurs upon cancer invasion are poorly understood in scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach.

METHODOLOGY:

Three different human gastric cancer cell lines (KATO-III, MKN-28, MKN-45) and human fibroblast cells (TIG-101) were co-cultured three-dimensionally in collagen gels. The gels, in vitro models of gastric cancer, were immunostained by monoclonal antibodies to human placental prolyl 4-hydroxylase (PH, a key enzyme of collagen synthesis) and then examined by light and electron microscopy.

RESULTS:

Under co-culture of cancer cells and fibroblasts, cytoplasmic staining for PH was observed in both the cancer cells (KATO-III, MKN-28, MKN-45) and fibroblasts. No significant difference in the expression patterns of the alpha- and beta-subunits of PH was observed not only among the KATO-III, MKN-28 and MKN-45 cell lines but also between cancer cells and fibroblasts.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings indicate that both cancer cells and fibroblasts can synthesize collagen in gastric cancer models. Moreover, this property may not be a unique characteristic of scirrhous gastric cancer cells, but common to gastric cancer cells and fibroblasts in vitro.

• Authors: Atsushi Kurita, Shiro Kikuchi, Akira Kakita
• Journal: Hepato-gastroenterology (Hepatogastroenterology) 2002 Sep-Oct Vol. 49 Issue 47 Pg. 1235-8 ISSN: 0172-6390 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 12239912 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Gels
• Collagen

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous (metabolism, pathology)
• Coculture Techniques (methods)
• Collagen (biosynthesis)
• Fibroblasts (metabolism)
• Gels
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Stomach Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology)
• Tissue Embedding
• Tumor Cells, Cultured