Β -Catenin Regulates the Expression of Tenascin-C in Human Colorectal Tumors

Tenascin-C (TN-C) is a component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). It is expressed during development and re-expressed in many types of cancers, where it is involved in the modulation of adhesion and proliferation. TN-C expression is especially high at sites of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), which are found frequently at the invasion front of well-differentiated human colorectal adenocarcinomas. Tumor cells in this compartment are characterized by a strong nuclear expression of the oncogenic transcription factor β -catenin. Here, we demonstrate that TN-C is a β -catenin target gene in human colorectal tumors. Thus, by far the most common mutations in colorectal tumors, found in the Wnt-signaling pathway and leading to the stabilizing of β -catenin, might influence invasion by altering adhesive properties and EMT of tumor cells.