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Expression of Snail protein in tumor–stroma interface

Oncogene volume 25, pages 5134–5144 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

The product of Snail gene is a repressor of E-cadherin transcription and an inductor of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in several epithelial tumor cell lines. In order to examine Snail expression in animal and human tissues, we have raised a monoclonal antibody (MAb) that reacts with the regulatory domain of this protein. Analysis of murine embryos shows that Snail is expressed in extraembryonic tissues and embryonic mesoderm, in mesenchymal cells of lungs and dermis as well as in cartilage. Little reactivity was detected in adult tissues as Snail was not constitutively expressed in most mesenchymal cells. However, Snail expression was observed in activated fibroblasts involved in wound healing in mice skin. Moreover, Snail was detected in pathological conditions causing hyperstimulation of fibroblasts, such as fibromatosis. Analysis of Snail expression in tumors revealed that it was highly expressed in sarcomas and fibrosarcomas. In epithelial tumors, it presented a more limited distribution, restricted to stromal cells placed in the vicinity of the tumor and to tumoral cells in the same areas. These results demonstrate that Snail is present in activated mesenchymal cells, indicate its relevance in the communication between tumor and stroma and suggest that it can promote the conversion of carcinoma cells to stromal cells.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr A Nieto and JL De la Pompa for providing sections of mouse embryos and A Nieto for her help in interpreting Snail staining results. The assistance of Pilar Muñoz in the analysis of Snail expression in tumors is also appreciated. This study was supported by grants awarded to AGH by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (SAF2003-02324) and the Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Càncer, and to MT by the K Albin Johansson Foundation and Mary och Georg C Ehrnrooths stifelse. Partial support from a grant from Instituto Carlos III (RTICCC, C03710) is also appreciated.

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Author notes

  1. I Virtanen and A García de Herreros: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular i Molecular, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain

    C Francí, N Dave, M Escrivà, B Montserrat-Sentís, M Garrido & A García de Herreros

  2. Institute of Biomedicine/Anatomy, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    M Takkunen & I Virtanen

  3. Servei d'Anatomia Patològica, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain

    F Alameda & T Baró

  4. Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    F Alameda

  5. Servei d'Estabulari, Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain

    S Gómez

  6. Departamento de Patología, Hospital Virgen de la Salud, Toledo, Spain

    R Rodríguez

  7. Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, Spain

    F Bonilla

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  1. C Francí
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Correspondence to I Virtanen.

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Francí, C., Takkunen, M., Dave, N. et al. Expression of Snail protein in tumor–stroma interface. Oncogene 25, 5134–5144 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1209519

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