Factors regulating SCC antigen expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Expression of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen emerged concurrently wi th squamous formation of the uterine cervix and increased during the neopla stic transformation of the cervical squamous epithelium. SCC antigen expres sion differed considerably among the histomorphologic cell types of cervica l carcinoma. Large cell nonkeratinizing carcinoma contained high levels of the antigen. In contrast, no appreciable expression of SCC antigen was obse rved in small cell nonkeratinizing carcinoma. The pattern of SCC antigen ex pression closely coincided with EGF receptor (EGF-R) expression in cervical squamous neoplasia. This suggests that the expression of SCC and EGF-R in cervical carcinoma is related to the differentiation or dedifferentiation p rocesses of the tumor cells. SCC production by CaSki cervical epidermoid ca rcinoma cells was stimulated by EGF. IL seems likely that an autocrine syst em, in which EGF serves as the signal, may exist in cervical squamous carci noma. 17 beta-estradiol and L-triiodothyronine were found to upregulate EGF -R expression, proliferative potential and SCC production in the CaSki cerv ical carcinoma cells.