Tsukamoto Yasuhiro, Sakaiuchi Takashi, Hiroi Satoshi, Furuya Masaru, Tsuchiya Seiichiro, Sasaki Fumihiko, Miki Naomasa, Taira Eiichi
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.
Int J Oncol. 2003 Dec;23(6):1671-7.
Gicerin, an immunoglobulin superfamily protein, is expressed abundantly in the embryonic tissues and plays an important role in development through its cell adhesive activity. Interestingly, re-expression of gicerin is found in a variety of tumors. In the present study, the possible role of gicerin in the progression of mammary carcinoma was investigated. The normal mammary glands of mice were negative for gicerin, but sporadic mammary carcinoma cells expressed gicerin strongly on their surface. A mouse mammary carcinoma cell line, JYG-B, which is gicerin-negative was employed for introducing gicerin cDNA and the resultant gicerin transfectants were subsequently analyzed. In vitro, self-aggregation activity of the gicerin-transfectants progressed. For an in vivo study, invasive and metastatic potential of the cells was examined by a subcutaneous implantation into nude mice. The invasion of gicerin transfectants into the surrounding tissue was enhanced and severe metastasis to the lungs occurred. These findings suggest that gicerin is an effector for the malignant progression of mammary carcinoma.
Gicerin是一种免疫球蛋白超家族蛋白，在胚胎组织中大量表达，并通过其细胞黏附活性在发育过程中发挥重要作用。有趣的是，在多种肿瘤中发现了gicerin的重新表达。在本研究中，研究了gicerin在乳腺癌进展中的可能作用。小鼠的正常乳腺组织gicerin呈阴性，但散发性乳腺癌细胞在其表面强烈表达gicerin。使用一种gicerin阴性的小鼠乳腺癌细胞系JYG-B导入gicerin cDNA，随后对所得的gicerin转染细胞进行分析。在体外，gicerin转染细胞的自我聚集活性增强。对于体内研究，通过皮下植入裸鼠来检测细胞的侵袭和转移潜能。gicerin转染细胞对周围组织的侵袭增强，并且发生了严重的肺转移。这些发现表明，gicerin是乳腺癌恶性进展的一个效应因子。
