Expression of mRNAs of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA) genes in colorectal carcinomas and adenomas was investigated by in situ hybridization (ISH) with specific biotinylated probes.
These findings indicate that IFN-gamma and anti-FnR antibody induce NCA mRNA in cultured colon cancer cell lines, suggesting that inflammatory response and cell-to-extracellular matrix interaction may be related to the increased expression of NCA mRNA in colorectal cancers in vivo.
The NCA mRNA was detectable in 87% of the CRCs examined, with 92% of these expressing the NCA mRNA at higher levels than the tubulovillous adenoma and the specimen from Crohn's colitis, whereas CEA was easily detected.
The nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA) is a cell adhesion molecule, and the messenger RNA for NCA is overexpressed in 92% of colorectal carcinomas.