S100A4 (p9Ka) protein in colon carcinoma and liver metastases: association with carcinoma cells and T-lymphocytes

The presence of the EF-hand-calcium-binding protein S100A4 in the carcinoma cells of the primary tumour is associated with a shorter survival time of a group of breast cancer patients. In colon cancer, primary tumours as well as metastases to the liver can be studied. Here we show, using quantitative PCR applied to RNA from 24 normal colon, four liver tissues, 24 colon carcinoma specimens, and 24 livers containing colonic carcinoma metastases, that the level of S100A4 mRNA was significantly higher in the carcinomas compared to normal specimens (Mann-Whitney U -test, P =0.05), and in liver metastases compared to carcinoma specimens ( P =0.039). The latter comparison included seven liver metastases and their matched primary carcinomas ( P