Tenascin expression in basal cell carcinoma.

Tenascin (hexabrachion, cytotactin) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein whose expression is strongly increased in hyperproliferative skin diseases, as shown by immunohistochemistry with polyclonal sera. In this study we describe a new monoclonal antibody (T2H5) against human tenascin. The specificity of T2H5 was validated by sequential immunoprecipitation of tenascin with polyclonal sera. T2H5 was used to analyse the presence of tenascin in basal cell carcinoma. Using Western blotting, at least two forms of tenascin were found, with approximate molecular weights of 210 and 300 kDa. In cultured human skin fibroblasts only the high molecular weight form was found.