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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
11:48
Detection of Alternative Splicing During Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: October 9, 2014
CD44 splice variant expression in normal and malignant uterine cervical epithelium
M Uhl-Steidl1, V Q Huy, E Müller-Holzner
1*Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria, and †The Basel Institute for Immunology, Basel, Switzerland.
Summary
CD44 variant v9 expression is common in cervical cancer and correlates with other variants. CD44 variant v4 may indicate better survival in advanced stages, unlike CD44 variant v6.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Immunohistochemistry
Background:
- CD44 protein and its splice variants are expressed in normal cervical epithelium.
- Aberrant CD44 expression is observed in various cancers, including cervical cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of CD44 standard form and variant splice forms (v4, v5, v6, v7/8, v9) in uterine cervical cancers.
- To determine the correlation of CD44 variant expression with clinicopathological features and patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of CD44 variants on 88 cervical cancer and 31 normal cervix paraffin sections.
- Monoclonal antibodies against CD44 standard and variant epitopes were utilized.
- Statistical analysis to correlate CD44 expression with tumor stage, age, histology, and survival.
Main Results:
- Normal epithelium showed ubiquitous, albeit faint, CD44 variant expression, mainly in basal/parabasal cells.
- Cervical carcinomas exhibited heterogeneous CD44 expression; CD44 variant v9 was highly prevalent (86%) and correlated with v6.
- CD44 variants v4 and v6 showed significant correlations with tumor stage and patient age, and were more frequent in squamous cell carcinomas.
Conclusions:
- CD44 variant v6 expression is not a reliable prognostic indicator in cervical cancer.
- CD44 variant v4 expression in FIGO stages III/IV was associated with significantly longer disease-free and overall survival.
- Further research is needed to clarify the clinical significance of CD44 variant v4 in cervical cancer.
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