|
Comment |
Koch J et al 2003 reported that Human VAT-1 is a calcium-regulated activation marker of human epithelial cells.
Human VAT-1 (hVAT-1) is a homologue of the synaptic vesicle
membrane protein of Torpedo californica. Its coding gene is located near the BRCA1 locus and thus
hVAT-1 may be linked to an inherited predisposition to breast and ovary cancer. However, the
hVAT-1 protein expression pattern in normal epithelial tissues such as skin, mammary gland and
ovary, as well as in tumours of the mammary gland and ovary, has not been studied. To
address this issue, an immunohistological analysis of biopsies of normal epidermis and lesional
epidermis of bullous pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris patients was undertaken. RESULTS.
hVAT-1-expression was observed in basal keratinocytes of lesional epidermis of bullous
pemphigoid patients but not in normal epidermis or in lesional epidermis of pemphigus vulgaris
patients. Moreover, hVAT-1 expression in HaCaT cells was found to be calcium-dependent.
Normal and malignant mammary and ovary epithelium were found to be hVAT-1-negative.
|