Tumor microenvironment (Part I): Tissue integrity in a rat model of peripheral neural cancer

ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1) and MPZ (myelin protein zero) are thought to be a factor in the integrity of nerve tissues. In this report, we attempted to trace the expression of ICAM-1, responsible for cell-to-cell adhesion, and of MPZ, the main constituent of myelin sheath, in malignant tissues of the sciatic nerve (SN) in inbred male Copenhagen rats. AT-1 Cells (anaplastic tumor 1) were injected in the perineurial sheath, and tissues of the SNs were collected after 7, 14 and 21 days and compared to a sham-operated group of rats (n = 6 each). Tissues were sectioned and histologically examined, under light microscope, and stained for measuring the immunoreactivity of ICAM-1 and MPZ under laser scanning microscope. The cancer model was established, and the tumor growth was confirmed. ICAM-1 showed severe decreases, proportional to the growing anaplastic cells, as compared to the sham group. MPZ revealed, however, a distinct defensive pattern before substantially decreasing in a comparison with sham. These results support the notion that malignancies damage peripheral nerves and cause severe axonal injury and loss of neuronal integrity, and clearly define the role of ICAM-1 and MPZ in safeguarding the nerve tissues.