Gla-Rich Protein Is a Potential New Vitamin K Target in Cancer: Evidences for a Direct GRP-Mineral Interaction

Figure 7

cGRP preferentially accumulates in healthy tissues while ucGRP is the predominantly form associated with tumor cells. Immunolocalization of cGRP and ucGRP in control skin (Sk; (a, e), resp.), basal cell carcinoma (BCC; (b–d), (f–h), resp.), control mammary gland (MG; (i–j), (m–n), resp.), and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC; (k–l), (o–p), resp.) tissue sections was performed with cGRP and ucGRP antibodies, respectively. In control skin, cGRP and ucGRP are similarly accumulated in the epidermis, although cGRP is the predominant form in blood vessels (BV) and fibroblasts (Fb) ((a, e), resp.). In BCC tumor cells (TC), cGRP levels are significantly decreased (b, c), while ucGRP is the predominant form (f, g) compared to both healthy skin (a, e) and non-affected areas adjacent to tumor cells (d, h). In control mammary gland (MG), cGRP is accumulated in the ductal cells (DC; (i, j)), while ucGRP accumulation is either similar (m) or decreased (n) compared to cGRP. In IDC tumor cells, the amount of cGRP is significantly decreased (k, l) in relation to ucGRP (o, p). Sections were counterstained with haematoxylin. Scale bar represents 100 μm.