Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-related cell adhesion molecules are co-expressed in the human lung and their expression can be modulated in bronchial epithelial cells by non-typable Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, TLR3, and type I and II interferons

Klaile, Esther; Klassert, Tilman E; Scheffrahn, Inka; Müller, Mario M; Heinrich, Annina; Heyl, Kerstin A; Dienemann, Hendrik; Grünewald, Christiane; Bals, Robert; Singer, Bernhard B; Slevogt, Hortense

Granulocyte infiltration 9 specimens were also analyzed ( Table 3 ). In alveolar epithelium, CEACAM6 was present in all specimens; therefore, only CEACAM1 and CEACAM5 expressions varied. CEACAM1 was mostly co-expressed with both, CEACAM5 and CEACAM6. In bronchial epithelium, CEACAM5 was expressed in all specimens; only CEACAM1 and CEACAM6 expression varied. Both proteins were co-expressed with CEACAM5 alone and with each other. The adventitia submucosa was always negative for CEACAM6. CEACAM1 and CEACAM5 Paraffin sections of human lung tissue from surgical specimens of lung cancer patients (N=19) were stained for CEACAM1, CEACAM5, CEACAM6, CEACAM8 and an unspecific control IgG. Figure 1 shows representative pictures of non-cancer tissues for these stainings. CEACAM expression in non-cancer tissues was analyzed for alveolar epithelium, bronchial epithelium, adventitia submucosa, pleura and blood vessel endothelium. Since not all tissue types were found for all specimens, the number of positive specimen and the number of total specimen including the respective tissue are given. *Assessment of total staining includes alveolar epithelium, bronchial epithelium, adventitia submucosa, pleura and blood vessel endothelium and excludes present blood cells due to intrinsic peroxidase activity. § Four lung sections showed enhanced background staining for the control IgG or the anti-CEACAM8 antibody.