Expression of Transforming Growth Factor β and Transforming Growth Factor β Receptors on AIDS-associated Kaposi's Sarcoma

I. Frank Ciernik, Barbara H. Krayenbühl Ciernik, Clay J. Cockerell, John D. Minna, Adi F. Gazdar, David P. Carbone

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Several humoral growth factors may contribute to the development and growth of AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). They are either provided by chronically activated cells of the immune system or in an autocrine/paracrine manner by the neoplastic cells themselves. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) may directly enhance the growth of KS cells and tumor matrix formation. To mediate a signal both TGF-β receptors type I and type II (TβR-I and TβR-II) have to be expressed. We investigated the expression of TGF-P, TGF-β receptors types I and II, and endoglin, a nonsignaling-type TβR-III, by means of immunohistochemistry on skin biopsies from patients with AIDS-related KS. We found that the TGF-β ligand was expressed by KS cells in 9 of 11 samples. TβR-II was strongly expressed in 10 of 12 samples, but none of the investigated tumor samples stained for TβR-I. Endoglin was weakly expressed on all KS lesions and stained the endothelium of tumor-associated vessels in 92% of the samples. These findings show that most KS lesions have the ability to produce TGF-β and that KS cells maintain a high expression of TβR-II in the absence of TβR-I, which may allow KS to escape growth inhibitory effects of endocrine or paracrine TGF-β.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1119-1124
Number of pages6
JournalClinical Cancer Research
Volume1
Issue number10
StatePublished - Oct 1 1995

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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