Immunolocalization of integrins in the normal and neoplastic colonic epithelium.

Cryosections of normal colon (NC), tubular and villous adenomas (TA, VA), and variably differentiated colon adenocarcinomas (CA) were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies to alpha 1-6 and alpha v, and beta 1-4 integrin subunits; select samples were stained for cytokeratin (Ck) 20 and villin. In NC, alpha 2 staining was strongest in crypt cells; alpha 1,3 and alpha v, and beta 1,3 and beta 4, and Ck 20 and villin predominated in superficial enterocytes. In TA and VA, monolayered glands showed integrin, Ck 20 and villin patterns that differed slightly from both crypt and superficial enterocytes. Complex glands in VA showed decreased integrin staining and basal polarization; Ck 20 and vill…