Many studies have investigated the pattern of CD44 distribution in tumours and some observations suggest that certain cells do not use CD44 in tumorigenesis or in the production of metastases.
Standard and variant isoforms of CD44 are associated with tumor growth, metastasis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), although their roles in GBC are unclear.
In addition, Wentilactone B could inhibit the metastasis of SMMC-7721 cells, which was detected by colony formation, scratch migration and a transwell assay, and could induce a series of intracellular events, including the down-regulation of CD44 and epidermal growth factor receptor proteins.
CD44+/CD24‑/low is currently the most commonly used marker for breast cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are considered the main cause of drug resistance, relapse and metastasis.
The involvement of hTra2β1, YB-1, SRp20, and ASF/SF2 in exon recognition and alternative splicing may be important for gene regulation of alternatively spliced genes like CD44 with potential functional consequences in this tumor type leading to progression and metastasis.
Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the expression of CDH6, CDH11 and CD44 in tumor tissues from patients with OSCC, and whether this was associated with the metastasis and survival of OSCC.
Down-regulation of the cell-surface adhesion molecule CD44 has been suggested to play an important role in tumor progression and metastasis of prostate cancer.
The finding that metastasis-related variants are already expressed at a relatively early stage in colorectal carcinogenesis and tumor progression, i.e., in adenomatous polyps, suggests the existence of a yet unknown selective advantage linked to CD44 variant expression.
Normal urothelium, well to moderately differentiated cell lines and surgical samples expressed E-cadherin and large CD44 isoforms containing exon v6, which was pivotal in metastasis of rat pancreatic cell line model.
The standard form of CD44 (CD44s) and CD44 isoforms, containing sequences encoded by one or several of 10 different variant CD44 exons (v1-v10), are thought to play a crucial role in the growth and metastasis of certain human tumors.
CD44 expression is elevated in basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) tissue, and correlates with increased efficiency of distant metastasis in patients and experimental models.
These results indicated that CC-CAFs-derived HGF induced up-regulation of CD44 which mediated adhesion of CRC cells to endothelial cells, and subsequently resulted in enhancement of metastasis of CRC cells, it could provide a novel therapeutic or preventive target.
Mixed co-injections of TME-enriched CD44+/CD24low/- and CD44+/β1+ sub-populations generated metastases populated mostly by CD44+/CD24low/--derived cells.