Versican(VCAN),also known as CSPG2, is a large extracellular matrix proteoglycan that is present in a variety of human tissues. Versican is a large chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan with an apparent molecular mass of more than 1000kDa.The Versican gene is mapped on 5q14.2-q14.3. The human versican gene contains 15 exons spanning more than 90 kb. The distribution of versican by using affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies that recognize the core protein of the prominent versican splice variants V0 and V1. Versican staining was noted in the central and peripheral nervous system, in the basal layer of the epidermis, and on the luminal surface of some glandular epithelia. Biochemical purification of LLC-conditioned medium led to identification of the extracellular matrix proteoglycan versican, which is upregulated in many human tumors including lung cancer, as a macrophage activator that acts through TLR2 and its coreceptors TLR6 and CD14. By activating TLR2:TLR6 complexes and inducing TNF-alpha secretion by myeloid cells, versican strongly enhances LLC metastatic growth.