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. 2002 Dec;55(6):394-7.
doi: 10.1136/mp.55.6.394.

The expression of ADAM12 (meltrin alpha) in human giant cell tumours of bone

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The expression of ADAM12 (meltrin alpha) in human giant cell tumours of bone

B L Tian et al. Mol Pathol. 2002 Dec.

Abstract

Aims: To examine the expression of ADAM12 (meltrin alpha), a member of the disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) family, in human giant cell tumours of the bone, skeletal muscle tissue from human embryos, and human adult skeletal muscle tissue.

Methods: ADAM12 mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridisation.

Results: ADAM12 mRNA was detected in 14 of the 20 giant cell tumours of bone and in three of the six tumour cell cultures. The expression of ADAM12 in cells cultured from the tumour was linked to the presence of multinucleated giant cells. ADAM12 mRNA could not be detected in the five adult skeletal muscle tissue samples, although it was found in the two embryonic skeletal muscle tissue samples. ADAM12 mRNA was localised to the cytoplasm of multinucleated giant cells and some mononuclear stromal cells.

Conclusions: These results indicate that multinucleated giant cells are formed by the cell fusion of mononuclear stromal cells in giant cell tumours of bone and that ADAM12 is involved in the cell fusion process.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Expression of ADAM12 in 20 cases of giant cell tumour. The ADAM12 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) product is 498 bp long. (A) Lane 1, 100 bp DNA ladder; lanes 2–10, giant cell tumour samples. Five of nine cases show positive expression of ADAM12 (lanes 2, 3, 4, 7, and 10). (B) Lane 1, 100 bp DNA ladder; lanes 2–12, giant cell tumour tissues. Nine of 11 cases show positive expression of ADAM12 (lanes 3–5, 7–12). The β actin RT-PCR product from the same tumour tissues was used as an internal control (lower panels).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The expression of ADAM12 in six cell cultures from cases of giant cell tumour. The ADAM12 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) product is 498 bp long. Lane 1, 100 bp DNA ladder; lane 2, eighth passage cells; lane 3, 10th passage cells; lane 4, sixth passage cells; lane 5, 12th passage cells; lane 6, fourth passage cells; lane 7, first passage cells. The β actin RT-PCR product from the same culture cells was used as an internal control (lower panel).
Figure 3
Figure 3
The expression of ADAM12 mRNA in giant cell tumour tissues. (A) Positive signal for ADAM12 mRNA detected by in situ hybridisation; the brown granules are seen in the cytoplasm of multinucleated giant cells (thick arrow) and in some mononuclear stromal cells (thin arrow). (B) Negative ADAM12 mRNA control using a nonsense probe. Original magnification, ×200.

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