MUC1 is a novel marker for the type II pneumocyte lineage during lung carcinogenesis

Citation
Ja. Jarrard et al., MUC1 is a novel marker for the type II pneumocyte lineage during lung carcinogenesis, CANCER RES, 58(23), 1998, pp. 5582-5589
Citations number
60
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology,"Onconogenesis & Cancer Research
Journal title
CANCER RESEARCH
ISSN journal
00085472 → ACNP
Volume
58
Issue
23
Year of publication
1998
Pages
5582 - 5589
Database
ISI
SICI code
0008-5472(199812)58:23<5582:MIANMF>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
Abnormalities in mucin-type glycoprotein expression have been documented in a variety of cancers, identifying these molecules as targets for immunolog ically based therapies and prognostic/diagnostic assays. We examined the ex pression of the membrane-bound MUC1 mucin in normal, histologically atypica l, and neoplastic lung to determine its potential contribution to lung carc inogenesis. Zn vivo, intense MUC1 immunoreactivity was present in normal ty pe II pneumocytes as well as In a range of atypical lesions derived from ty pe II cells and >60% of primary and metastatic non-small cell lung cancers. Expression was not associated with altered survival, although it was highl y correlated with the adenocarcinoma histology. A carcinogenesis model usin g 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone-exposed hamsters reve aled that MUC1 mRNA increased prior to the histological appearance of tumor s. In vitro studies using MUC1 expressing non-small cell lung cancer cell l ines revealed that differentiation away from a type II cell lineage was ass ociated with dramatic down-regulation of MUC1. We propose that MUC1 is a po werful new marker for the type II pneumocyte cell lineage that allows us to follow the type II pneumocyte lineage during the process of lung carcinoge nesis.