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Tenascin expression in actinic keratosis
Maria Lentini1, Carmelo Schepis, Domenica Anna Cuppari
1Dipartimento di Patologia Umana, Policlinico Universitario Pad.D, 98124 Messina, Italia. maria.lentini@unime.it
Journal of Cutaneous Pathology
|November 7, 2006
Summary
Tenascin expression in skin actinic keratoses (AKs) increases with dysplasia stage. This extracellular matrix protein
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Oncology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Tenascin is an extracellular matrix protein found in skin lesions.
- Actinic keratoses (AKs) are intraepidermal neoplastic lesions with varying dysplasia stages and histological types.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between tenascin expression and the stages of dysplasia in actinic keratoses.
- To determine if tenascin expression correlates with different histotypes of AKs.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of 150 AK cases using a tenascin monoclonal antibody.
- AKs were classified by histotype (hypertrophic, atrophic, bowenoid, acantolytic, mixed) and dysplasia stage (I-IV, including tumoral progression).
Main Results:
- Tenascin was detected in all cases at the dermal level adjacent to the epithelial lesion.
- Immunostaining intensity for tenascin increased progressively from stage I to stage IV and in cases of tumoral progression.
- Tenascin expression did not correlate with specific AK histotypes.
Conclusions:
- Tenascin expression in AKs is directly related to the stage of epidermal dysplasia.
- The intensity of tenascin immunostaining reflects the degree of dysplasia, not epidermal thickness.
- Tenascin may function as an anti-adhesive factor, playing a role in neoplastic progression of AKs.
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