CD44 WITH VARIANT EXON-8-10 IN COLORECTAL TUMORS - EXPRESSION ANALYSIS BY A VARIANT EXON 9-SPECIFIC MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY

Using a fusion protein encoded by variant exon (v) 8-10 of CD44, a mon oclonal antibody (mAb) 44-1V reactive with v9 product was generated. W estern immunoblots and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction /Southern blot revealed that a 130 kilodalton component containing v8- 10 products was specifically expressed in colorectal and gastric cance r cell lines. Immunohistological examination of 179 pairs of colorecta l cancer and normal tissues revealed that about 47% of cancers express ed the CD44 variant (CD44v8-10), and its expression correlated with he matogenous and lymph node metastasis. These findings suggest the usefu lness of CD44v8-10 in the prediction of colorectal cancer metastasis.