Adhesion molecules and cancer metastasis

In accordance with the recent development of molecular biology and genetic technology for the study of adhesion molecule of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interaction, correlation of these interactions with cancer metastasis have been progressing rapidly. For several years, active peptides derived from extracellular matrix (RGD) in fibronectin, YIGSR in laminin) have been used to inhibit tumor cell adhesion receptors, and block malignant cell adhesion and metastatic properties. Recently we have investigated the correlation between expression of cell-cell adhesion molecule (Ecadherin: E-CD) and metastasis in human esophageal, gastric and breast cancers by immunohistochemical staining using anti-human E-CD antibody (HE-CD-1). E-CD expression of these tumors was reduced in more than half cases when compared to normal epithelium. Moreover, E-CD expression of metastatic tumor in the primary sites was reduced significantly more than that of non-metastatic tumor. These results indicate that a firmly formed cluster of tumor cells might detach from the tumor nests with unstable adhesiveness, transit in the circulation and form metastatic foci in the secondary sites.