KERATIN EXPRESSION IN NORMAL ESOPHAGEAL EPITHELIUM AND SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE ESOPHAGUS

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 45  (2) , 841-846
Abstract
The 8-nm keratin filament is a major component of the cytoskeleton of epithelial cells and epithelial-derived cancers (carcinomas). The pattern of keratins produced by an esophageal epithelial cell undergoes change upon malignant transformation. In order to evaluate the potential importance of these differences in providing improved diagnostic techniques for pathology, the consistency of the patterns of keratins expressed in normal esophageal epithelium, squamous cell carconoma (SQCC) of the esophagus and cultured esophageal epithelial cells was investigated. In 6 patients, the keratin pattern expressed by SQCC of the esophagus and corresponding normal esophageal epithelium was consistently different as judged by immunoblot analysis of electrophoretically separated protein extracts. While the SQCC typically expressed major keratins with MW of 58,000, 56,000, 50,000 and 46,000, the normal esophageal epithelium produced 2 major keratins with MW of 58,000 and 52,000 and a minor keratin with a MW of 56,000. When normal esophageal epithelial cells were grown in tissue culture, their keratin pattern changed, and keratins with MW of 58,000, 56,000, 52,000, 50,000, 46,000 and 40,000 were expressed. Although some minor variations in keratin patterns were seen, the major differences in keratin pattern expressed by normal esophageal epithelial tissue, SQCC of the esophagus and cultured esophageal cells were consistent and reproducible.