Cell‐type related and spatial variation in the expression of integrins in cutaneous tumors

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Abstract
Integrins constitute a group of transmembrane proteins which mediate cell‐cell and cell‐matrix interactions. Previous studies have shown both increased and decreased expression of integrins in relation to malignancy and invasion. In the present study, we investigated integrin distribution in cutaneous tumors by using monoclonal antibodies on frozen tissue sections. Antibodies to integrin subunits αv, α3, α4, α5, α6, β1 and β3 were used. The study was designed to explore (i) the association between integrin expression and the tumor type, and (ii) the effect on the integrin expression of the location of the tumor, i.e. whether it grows intraepidermally or within various compartments of the dermis (papillary or reticular). (β1, β3 and α3 were strongly or moderately expressed in the epithelial and stromal cells of basal cell carcinomas (BCC), seborrheic keratoses, solar keratoses, dermatofibromas (DF), and showed a variable expression in the nevic cells of benign and dysplas‐tic nevocellular nevi. αv and in α5 appeared strongly expressed in the stromal cells of BCC and DF, while only a focal, often weak staining was seen in nevic cells and in the epithelial cells of BCCs. In some nevocellular nevi, they were only expressed, together with α4, in the deep‐seated nevic cells in the reticular dermis. aL6 was expressed by minor cells of BCCs and nevocellular nevi only within the dermo‐epidermal junction. In seborrheic keratosis and solar keratosis a basement membrane‐associated staining pattern for α6 was seen in the basal cell layer, with focal discontinuities in solar keratosis. In conclusion, the results indicate a wide expression of various types of integrins in cutaneous tumors. The expression is distinctly tumor‐type and cell‐type dependent but is also influenced e.g. by the depth of the stromal infiltration in BCC (α6) and in nevocellular tumors (αv, 4, 5, 6, β3), probably reflecting adaptation to the variable microenvironmental influences.Tuominen H, Junttila T, Karvonen J, Kallioinen M. Cell‐type related and spatial variation in the expression of integrins in cutaneous tumors.

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