Versican is a large
chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that is an integral component of the
extracellular matrix protein. It regulates cell proliferation, adhesion, and migration, and is expressed in a variety of normal tissues and
tumors. We studied the pattern of
versican expression in various epithelial, mesenchymal, neural, and hematopoietic
tumors using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. The primary antibody used was mouse
monoclonal antibody to
versican (clone 8S270, 1:4000, US
Biological). Sections from 3 healing
wounds were also included to demonstrate
versican expression in reactive tissues. The extracellular matrix in all tissues including all
tumors (epithelial and nonepithelial) was positive for
versican. However, intracellular cytoplasmic expression of
versican was seen only in spindle cells, for example, fibroblasts in healing
wounds, 11 of 16 (69%)
gastrointestinal stromal tumors and 12 of 42 (28%)
smooth muscle tumors. Intracellular
versican was not seen in any other
tumor [0/344
carcinomas (64 breast, 63 prostate, 61 colorectal, 59 lung, 68 ovarian, and 29 thyroid), 0/22
glioblastoma multiforme, 0/46
lymphomas, and 0/21
melanomas]. As
versican plays a role in cell proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, and migration, its differential expression in spindle cell
tumors may be associated with the differentiation, progression, and spread of these
tumors, which is different from epithelial
tumors.