In the present study, we first determined levels of HA and its receptors CD44 and RHAMM in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and stromal cells as well as mouse lung tumors.
Importantly, the overexpression of Snail with gene vector in CD44 expression cells further significantly promoted the properties of lung tumor stem-like cells.
One hundred and ninety-five lung tumor samples including 74 (38%) squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 61 (31%) adenocarcinomas (ADC), 23 (12%) large cell carcinoma (LCC) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) group and 37 (19%) small cell lung cancer (SCLC) samples were examined for the expression of CD44 using immunohistochemistry method.
Autocrine/paracrine prostaglandin E2 production by non-small cell lung cancer cells regulates matrix metalloproteinase-2 and CD44 in cyclooxygenase-2-dependent invasion.
The expression of CD44s and its v6 isoform (CD44v6) was determined immunohistochemically in 106 lung tumors of various histophenotypes, degrees of differentiation, and clinical stages.