Occurrence of thymosin ß4 in human breast cancer cells and in other cell types of the tumor microenvironment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Occurrence of thymosin ß4 in human breast cancer cells and in other cell types of the tumor microenvironment

AU - Larsson, Lars-Inge

AU - Holck, Susanne

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Previous studies have shown that the G-actin sequestering polypeptide thymosin ß4 frequently is overexpressed in cancers and that such overexpression correlates to malignant progression. However, the localization of thymosin ß4 in human cancers has not been determined. We now demonstrate that there is a considerable heterogeneity in the cellular distribution of thymosin ß4 in breast cancer. In most tumors examined, cancer cells showed low or intermediate reactivity for thymosin ß4, whereas leukocytes and macrophages showed intense reactivity. In addition, endothelial cells showed variable reactivity to thymosin ß4, whereas myofibroblasts were negative. There was no correlation between the intensity of tumor cell staining and histological grade, whereas there was a tendency toward a correlation between endothelial cell staining and grade. These results demonstrate that multiple cell types within the tumor microenvironment produce thymosin ß4 and that such expression varies from tumor to tumor. Such heterogeneity of expression should be taken into account when the role of thymosin ß4 in tumor biology is assessed.

AB - Previous studies have shown that the G-actin sequestering polypeptide thymosin ß4 frequently is overexpressed in cancers and that such overexpression correlates to malignant progression. However, the localization of thymosin ß4 in human cancers has not been determined. We now demonstrate that there is a considerable heterogeneity in the cellular distribution of thymosin ß4 in breast cancer. In most tumors examined, cancer cells showed low or intermediate reactivity for thymosin ß4, whereas leukocytes and macrophages showed intense reactivity. In addition, endothelial cells showed variable reactivity to thymosin ß4, whereas myofibroblasts were negative. There was no correlation between the intensity of tumor cell staining and histological grade, whereas there was a tendency toward a correlation between endothelial cell staining and grade. These results demonstrate that multiple cell types within the tumor microenvironment produce thymosin ß4 and that such expression varies from tumor to tumor. Such heterogeneity of expression should be taken into account when the role of thymosin ß4 in tumor biology is assessed.

KW - Former LIFE faculty

KW - Thymosin

KW - Breast cancer

KW - Macrophages

KW - Endothelial cells

KW - Biomarkers

U2 - 10.1016/j.humpath.2006.06.025

DO - 10.1016/j.humpath.2006.06.025

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16949646

SN - 0046-8177

VL - 38

SP - 114

EP - 119

JO - Human Pathology

JF - Human Pathology

IS - 1

ER -