IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL DETECTION OF THE LAMININ RECEPTOR POLYPEPTIDE, A PUTATIVE PRECURSOR OF 67-KDA-LAMININ RECEPTOR, IN HUMAN LUNG-CANCER

Laminin receptor polypeptide was immunodetected in human lung cancer w ith a polyclonal antibody raised against a 20-mer peptide of the putat ive high-affinity laminin receptor of 67 kDa (Wewer et al: Cancer Res 47: 5691-5698, 1987). As a result, immunoreactivity was recognized spe cifically in cancer cells both in freshly-prepared cell samples and in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens. It was shown that immunodetection of the laminin receptor polypeptide with this antipeptide antibody co uld be applied to diagnostic use for lung cancer. The results also sug gest that the laminin receptor polypeptide is not necessarily a membra ne-associated protein and may function without further processing to t he 67 kDa-laminin receptor.