Galectin-3 and CD1a-positive dendritic cells are involved in the development of an invasive phenotype in vulvar squamous lesions.

Abstract

In this study, the expression patterns of Galectin-3 (Gal-3) and the frequency of infiltrating CD1a positive dendritic cells (DCs) were determined in 82 cases of vulvar tissues, consisting of normal squamous epithelia (NE, N = 10), vulvar condylomas (VC, N = 24), high grade vulvar intraepithelial neoplasias (HG-VIN, N = 26) of common type, and invasive keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas (SCC, N = 22) by a standard immunohistochemical method using monoclonal antibodies to investigate their differential expression in vulvar squamous dysplasia and infiltrating carcinomas with an emphasis on neoplastic transformation and progression. Gal-3 expression was cytoplasmic, nuclear or membranous in NE, VCs, and HG-VINs, with negative or weak and occasionally moderate reactivities. In SCCs, exclusively cytoplasmic staining patterns with moderate or strong reactivity in 59% of cases were observed (p < 0.0001, chi-square test); Gal-3 expression was not related with stage, grade, and recurrence. The frequency of CD1a positive DCs increased from NE and VCs to highest numbers in HG-VINs, was lowest in SCCs (p < 0.0001, ANOVA), and was not related with stage and grade, but with recurrence in SCCs (p = 0,048, t-test). This study indicates that qualitative and quantitative changes of Gal-3 immunoexpression and infiltration by CD1a positive DCs in vulvar NE, VCs, and HG-VIN lesions, respectively, compared with SCCs play a role in the development of an infiltrative phenotype, and may provide adjunctive criteria in the diagnosis of invasion of vulvar squamous epithelia.

• Authors: Hermann Brustmann
• Journal: International journal of gynecological pathology : official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists (Int J Gynecol Pathol) Vol. 25 Issue 1 Pg. 30-7 (Jan 2006) ISSN: 0277-1691 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16306781 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antigens, CD1
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CD1a antigen
• Galectin 3
• Keratins

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antigens, CD1 (metabolism)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (metabolism)
• Carcinoma in Situ (metabolism, pathology)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (metabolism, pathology)
• Condylomata Acuminata (metabolism, pathology)
• Dendritic Cells (metabolism, pathology)
• Female
• Galectin 3 (metabolism)
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Keratinocytes (metabolism, pathology)
• Keratins (metabolism)
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Phenotype
• Vulva (metabolism, pathology)
• Vulvar Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology)