Role of CD44 in Tumor Progression.
Abstract
The goal of this research project is to examine the roles of hyaluronan and its cell surface receptor, CD44, in tumor progression. In task 1, we have transfected a series of human breast cancer cell lines with a CD44 expression vector. These transfected cells can both bind and degrade hyaluronan, indicating that the CD44 is biologically functional. These cell have been injected into nude and once the tumors have grown they will be examined for both hyaluronan and endothelial cells. In task 3, we have examined primary and secondary tumors in mice that are transgenic for the polyomavirus middle T oncogene. While primary tumors were heterogeneous with respect to the expression of CD44, secondary tumors in the lungs did not express this molecule, suggesting that CD44 is not required for metastasis. More importantly, the secondary tumors were associated with large amounts of hyaluronan, which may be useful for targeting these tumors. In task 4, we have examined sections of human breast cancer. While the primary tumors expressed significant amounts of CD44, secondary tumors in the lymph nodes showed a considerable variation with respect to the expression of CD44. This expression of CD44 was inversely associated with hyaluronan.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA319968
Entities
People
- Charles Underhill
Organizations
- Georgetown University