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Updated: Apr 23, 2026

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Published on: August 9, 2024
Desmosomal defects in acantholytic squamous cell carcinomas
Charlene O'Shea1, James E Fitzpatrick, Peter J Koch
1Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA; Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
Background:
Acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma (Acantholytic SCC) are epithelial tumors characterized by a loss of cell adhesion between neoplastic keratinocytes. The mechanism underlying loss of cell-cell adhesion in these tumors is not understood.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis of acantholytic SCC (n = 17) and conventional SCC (n = 16, controls not showing acantholysis) was conducted using a set of desmosomal and adherens junction protein antibodies. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to identify tumors with loss of adhesion protein expression.
Results:
The vast majority of acantholytic SCC (89%) showed focal loss of at least one desmosomal cell adhesion protein. Most interestingly, 65% of these tumors lost expression of two or more desmosomal proteins.
Conclusions:
Loss of cell adhesion in acantholytic SCC is most likely linked to the focal loss of desmosomal protein expression, thus providing potential mechanistic insight into the patho-mechanism underlying this malignancy.
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