Immunohistochemical analysis of short-segment Barrett's esophagus

The majority of dysplasias and adenocarcinomas in Barrett's esophagus are closely associated with the specialized columnar epithelium. In this study, we performed an immunohistochemical analysis of columnar metaplasia presenting in short-segment Barrett's esophagus (SSBE).

The endoscopic biopsy specimens obtained from 91 patients were analyzed. Ten were cases of long-segment Barrett's esophagus (LSBE) and 81 had SSBE. Expression of MUC2, MUC5AC, Con A and CD10 was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining.

All samples from LSBE (n = 9) were histologically diagnosed as specialized columnar epithelium. The 81 SSBE samples were divided into gastric fundic-type (n = 26), junctional-type (n = 16) and specialized columnar epithelium (n = 39). In the specialized columnar epithelium of SSBE, there was a predominance of goblet cell-type metaplasia proposed by Watanabe et al. which is characterized by MUC2-positive pyloric epithelium (66.7%). The total percentage of non-goblet cell-type and goblet cell-type was 76.9%. In contrast, 80% of LSBE revealed the large intestinal-type or the large and small intestinal-type. The long oval and villous pit by magnifying endoscope suggests the presence of the specialized columnar epithelium, but the phenotypic classification of Watanabe's criteria was not associated with the endoscopic pit pattern.

Intestinal metaplasia in Barrett's esophagus changes immunohistochemically with progress of the disease.