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Intermediate filament expression in normal parotid glands and pleomorphic adenomas
B F Burns1, I Dardick, W R Parks
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ottawa Civic Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Virchows Archiv. A, Pathological Anatomy and Histopathology
|January 1, 1988
Summary
This study compared intermediate filament expression in normal parotid glands and pleomorphic adenomas (PA). Pleomorphic adenomas show diverse cytokeratin (CK) expression, suggesting varied tumor cell differentiation.
Area of Science:
- Oral Pathology
- Tumor Biology
- Immunohistochemistry
Background:
- Intermediate filaments, including cytokeratins (CKs), are crucial for cellular structure and differentiation.
- Pleomorphic adenomas (PA) are the most common salivary gland tumors, but their histogenesis remains debated.
- Understanding intermediate filament expression can elucidate tumor cell differentiation and origin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comparatively analyze intermediate filament expression in normal parotid glands and pleomorphic adenomas (PA).
- To investigate the potential role of diverse tumor cell differentiation in the morphology of PA.
- To differentiate between normal parotid gland cell types and tumor cells in PA using immunohistochemistry.
Main Methods:
- Comparative immunohistochemical analysis of normal parotid glands and PA.
- Utilized modified methacarn fixative for tissue preservation.
- Employed a panel of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against various cytokeratins (CKs), vimentin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).
Main Results:
- Normal myoepithelial cells of acini and ducts exhibited distinct cytokeratin (CK) profiles.
- Normal duct luminal cells displayed a different CK profile compared to myoepithelial cells.
- PA tumor cells showed CK profiles similar to normal myoepithelial/basal cells, with notable exceptions (e.g., antibody 4.62 negativity).
- Vimentin and GFAP were negative in normal parotid glands but variably expressed in PA.
- Significant variability in CK subtype expression was observed within PA, both between cases and within similar areas of the same specimen.
Conclusions:
- The diverse morphology of pleomorphic adenomas likely arises from varied tumor cell differentiation, not solely from reserve cell processes.
- Intermediate filament expression patterns provide insights into the complex differentiation pathways within PA.
- Immunohistochemistry is a valuable tool for characterizing salivary gland tumors and understanding their cellular origins.