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Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann logoLink to Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann
. 1994 Nov;85(11):1112–1116. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1994.tb02915.x

Expression of CD44 Variant Isoforms in Normal and Neoplastic Cells of the Lung

Osuke Washimi 1,5, Ryuzo Ueda 1, Yutaka Ariyoshi 3, Mot okazu Suyama 4,1, Tsuneo Seki 5, Toshitada Takahashi 2, Takashi Takahashi 1,✉
PMCID: PMC5919360  PMID: 7530240

Abstract

CD44 is a cell surface receptor that has been implicated in lymphocyte homing, hematopoiesis, cell migration and possibly also tumor metastasis. In the present study, expression of CD44 variant (CD44v) isoforms was analyzed in 23 lung cancer specimens together with corresponding normal lung tissues by Southern blot analysis coupled with reverse transcription‐polynterase chain reaction amplification. We found that CD44v isoforms were expressed in all lung cancer specimens, suggesting a possible role in the establishment of metastases by these highly malignant tumors, but normal tissues were also positive. This is in marked contrast to the previous reports of essentially negligible expression of CD44v isoforms in normal colon and breast, and suggests a physiological function in the lung.

Keywords: CD44, Adhesion molecule, Lung cancer, Metastasis, Isoform

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