Differential expression of the cell-adhesion molecule Nr-CAM in hyperplastic and neoplastic human pancreatic tissue

Nr-CAM is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily of neural cell-adhesio n molecules initially thought to be expressed mainly in the brain. Here we show the presence of Nr-CAM protein in normal human pancreas and characteri ze its expression in hyperplastic and neoplastic human pancreatic tissue. N r-CAM is expressed on the cell surface in normal pancreatic acini with enha nced staining at cell-cell junctions, and weak or no surface staining is se en on normal ductal cells. Nr-CAM expression is markedly up-regulated in in traductal hyperplasia. Expression was well maintained in well or moderately differentiated carcinoma but was reduced or absent from most poorly differ entiated tumors, in addition, 4 of 4 human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell l ines tested demonstrated little or no Nr-CAM expression. This differential regulation of Nr-CAM expression suggests that it may be involved in the pat hogenesis and invasive/metastatic behavior of pancreatic cancers.