Phospholipase a2 in tumor tissue

Intraabdominal spread of malignant tumors is a frequent event in various gynecologic and gastrointestinal tumors and contribute a lot in the morbidity and mortality of these patients. The process of metastasizing is complex and only partialy revealed. The process of intraabdominal metastasizing has some common features that distincts it from general process. Intraabdominal organs are covered with mesothelium which is covered by a thin layer of phospholipids. The attachement of malignant cell cannot be fulfilled if phospholipid layer is not broken. The hydrolysis of phospholipid layer is most probably carried out by phospholipase A2. It seems that phospholipase A2 has an important role in invasion and metastasizing of the malignant tumors of colon and rectum. To show that phospholipase A2 is important in process of intraabdominal metastasizing, its presence and activity should be demonstrated in tumor tissue, harvested from the tumor implants on the peritoneum, when carcinosis of the peritoneum is present. The presence of phospholipase A2 is demonstrated immunohistochemicaly with monoclonal antibodies and by methods of gene engineering. The expresion of mRNA phospholipase A2 is determined by Northern blot technique. The potential outcomes of research project are related to the prevention and development of disease and to improvement of general scientific knowledge.