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Immunohistochemical Staining of B7-H1 (PD-L1) on Paraffin-embedded Slides of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Tissue
Published on: January 3, 2013
CD117/KIT expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Adrian C Bateman1, Mary Judd, Dejan Radenkovic
1Department of Cellular Pathology, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK. adrian.bateman@suht.swest.nhs.uk
Pancreas
|January 15, 2008
Summary
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma does not express CD117/KIT. Differences in reported expression are due to immunohistochemical methods, highlighting the need for standardized techniques and c-kit gene mutation analysis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Pathology
Background:
- CD117/KIT is overexpressed in some neoplasms, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
- Pancreatic adenocarcinoma has a poor prognosis, making targeted therapies desirable.
- Reported CD117/KIT expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma varies significantly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that CD117/KIT expression is uncommon in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
- To clarify the discrepancies in reported CD117/KIT incidence in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was performed on 23 pancreatic adenocarcinoma samples.
- Two distinct primary antibodies targeting CD117/KIT were utilized.
- Internal and external positive controls were established for antibody validation.
Main Results:
- One antibody showed no tumor cell labeling.
- The second antibody revealed cytoplasmic CD117/KIT staining in all cases.
- Artifactual staining was suspected due to nuclear staining and benign epithelium labeling with the second antibody.
Conclusions:
- Pancreatic adenocarcinoma does not express CD117/KIT when assessed with the laboratory's standard antibody.
- Methodological variations in immunohistochemistry explain the differing reported incidences of CD117/KIT expression.
- Future studies should combine immunohistochemistry with c-kit gene mutational analysis.
