Sixty-four malignant lung tumours and 12 of their regional lymph node metastases were analysed for expression of the laminin gamma2 chain by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Expression of the laminin gamma2 chain was strongest in squamous cell carcinomas, followed by adenocarcinomas and large cell carcinomas. Positive cells, except for large cell carcinomas, were located at the epithelial-stromal interface of tumour clusters. An important exception was small cell lung carcinoma, with only a low level of laminin gamma2 chain expression. Apart from tumour type, this may reflect the relatively scanty fibrous stroma in these tumours and supports previous observations that small cell lung carcinoma cells, contrary to other types, lack surface expression of alpha(6)beta(4) integrin, the specific laminin-5 binding receptor. In frozen sections, immunohistochemistry showed linear basement membranes around tumour clusters in squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. This shows that carcinoma cells are capable of heavy deposition of the laminin gamma2 chain around tumour clusters and suggests that a laminin gamma2 chain-containing substrate may be of significance for the spread and growth of malignant tumours.
Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.