Immunohistochemical localization of CD44 variants 5 and 6 in human gastric mucosa and gastric cancer.

The aim of this study was to compare the distribution of CD44 variants 5 and 6 in normal mucosa and gastric cancer and to determine their relationship with histoclinical Parameters of the disease. Experimental material included 112 paraffin blocks of various human gastric carcinomas. Both variants of CD44 were detected immunohistochemically with primary antibodies deriving from Bender Med. Systems. In normal gastric mucosa positive reactions with both antibodies were observed in surface epithelium, parietal cells, myocytes and vascular endothelia. They were also found in intestinal enterocytes, esophageal epithelium and myoepithelial. Additional reactivity with antibodies against variant 6 was observed in Paneth cells. In gastric cancer, variants 5 and 6 were demonstrated in 91% and 64% of cases respectively, without significant correlation with the tumor type. The occurrence of variant 6 correlated positively with tumor size (p = 0.081) and negatively with histological grading (p = 0.093). The relationship with metastases was insignificant.