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 nonspecific cross-reacting antigen (NCA) is a cell adhesion molecule, and the messenger RNA for NCA is overexpressed in 92% of colorectal carcinomas.
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.
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.