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Updated: Aug 7, 2026
05:48
Tissue Engineering of Tumor Stromal Microenvironment with Application to Cancer Cell Invasion
Published on: March 18, 2014
Aberrant expression of collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 in human solid cancers
Liren Tang1, Derek L Dai, Mingwan Su
1Department of Dermatology and Skin Science , University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Summary
Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) protein is upregulated in invasive and metastatic melanomas. This promigratory protein is also aberrantly expressed in 16 other human solid cancers, suggesting a role in cancer progression.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) is a promigratory protein identified in tissue repair.
- CTHRC1 mRNA has been detected in melanoma and breast cancer, but its role in human carcinogenesis is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical significance and functional role of CTHRC1 in melanoma and other human solid cancers.
- To characterize CTHRC1 expression patterns in relation to cancer progression and metastasis.
Main Methods:
- Semiquantitative immunohistochemistry on 304 melanoma biopsies across different stages.
- Inhibition of CTHRC1 expression using short interfering RNA in melanoma cell cultures.
- Survey of CTHRC1 expression in 310 samples from 19 distinct human solid cancer types.
Main Results:
- CTHRC1 protein expression was low in benign nevi and non-invasive melanomas but significantly increased in invasive and metastatic melanomas.
- Inhibition of CTHRC1 reduced melanoma cell migration in vitro.
- Aberrant CTHRC1 expression was observed in 16 out of 19 surveyed cancer types, notably in gastrointestinal, lung, breast, thyroid, ovarian, cervical, liver, and pancreatic cancers.
Conclusions:
- Aberrant CTHRC1 expression is prevalent across various human solid cancers and correlates with invasion and metastasis.
- CTHRC1 likely contributes to cancer progression, potentially by enhancing cancer cell migration.
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