Immunocytochemical localization of plasminogen activators in carcinomas in the cervix and vulva

The presence of plasminogen activators (PA) in a variety of solid tumours appears to correlate, in a number of instances, with enhanced invasive and/or metastatic ability. Urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activators (u-PA and t-PA) in normal and neoplastic tissues of cervix and of vulva were immunohistochemically identified by means of polycyclonal antibodies. In addition, frozen sections were analysed for u-PA and t-PA activity by in-situ zymography technique. Data collected in our study showed that in invasive cancer u-PA increased more in malignant cells as compared to normal cells in both the inactive and active enzymatic forms. The t-PA distribution pattern was related to angiogenesis while it did not relate to the degree of tumor differentiation. A synergic interaction between proteolytic tumoral activity and proteolytic inflammatory action could be hypothesized.