Immunohistochemical and biochemical studies on the collagenous proteins of human osteosarcomas

The distribution of type I, II, III, IV, V and VI collagens in 20 cases of osteosarcoma was demonstrated immunohistochemically using monospecific antibodies to different collagen types. In addition, biochemical analysis was made on collagenous proteins synthesized by tumor cells in short-term cultures obtained from seven representative cases and compared with dermal fibroblasts. In osteoblastic areas, most of the tumor osteoid consisted exclusively of type I collagen. Type V collagen was associated in some of them. Type III and type VI collagens were mainly localized in the perivascular fibrous stroma. Cultured tumor cells from osteoblastic osteosarcomas produced type I collagen exclusively and small amount of type V collagen constantly, while the synthetic activity of type III collagen was extremely low. In contrast, fibroblastic areas were characterized by the codistribution of type I, III, VI collagens and chondroblastic areas by type I, V, VI collagens as well as type II. Furthermore, type IV collagen was demonstrated in the stroma, other than the basement membrane region of blood vessels, in fibroblastic, intramedullary well-differentiated and telangiectatic osteosarcomas. In vitro, the production of variable amounts of type IV collagen, which was not detected in cultured dermal fibroblasts, was also recognized in the osteoblastic, fibroblastic, undifferentiated and intramedullary well-differentiated osteosarcomas examined. These findings suggest that the immunohistochemical approach using monospecific antibodies to different collagen types is useful not only in identifying some specific organoid components, such as tumor osteoid, but also in disclosing the biological properties of osteosarcoma cells with diverse differentiation.