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Differential expression of PHLDA1 (TDAG51) in basal cell carcinoma and trichoepithelioma
I Yeh1, T H McCalmont, P E LeBoit
1Departments of Dermatology and Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. iwei.yeh@gmail.com
Background:
A recent small series demonstrated perfect sensitivity and specificity utilizing immunostaining for PHLDA1, a marker of follicular stem cells, in the distinction of desmoplastic trichoepithelioma and morphoeiform basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in small biopsy specimens.
Objectives:
To assess this result more broadly.
Methods:
We performed immunoperoxidase staining of BCCs (superficial n = 16, nodular n = 15, micronodular n = 15, infiltrative n = 17, morphoeiform n = 16, infundibulocystic n = 14) and trichoepitheliomas (conventional n = 19, desmoplastic n = 16) with PHLDA1.
Results:
Morphoeiform BCCs typically lacked PHLDA1 staining (88% demonstrated no staining and 12% of cases had staining in < 25% of the tumour), while in contrast 74% of classical and 88% of desmoplastic trichoepitheliomas demonstrated strong PHLDA1 staining in over half of the tumour. However, micronodular BCCs demonstrated focal to diffuse positive staining in a third of the cases.
Conclusions:
Based upon our staining results, we discuss the biological significance of PHLDA1 expression and the limits in its diagnostic utility.
