Usefulness of basement membrane markers in tumoural pathology

The distribution of basement membrane (BM) markers, type IV collagen, laminin (LM), heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HSP) and fibronectin (FN) has been studied by indirect immunofluorescence using specific antibodies, in tumoural pathology. The disrupted pattern of BM by these markers in severe dysplastic lesions of the breasts, the bronchi and uterine cervix provides evidence for malignancy. In invasive carcinomas, there is generally a loss of these BM components, with FN persisting in the stroma. The loss of these markers in BM is concomitant and superimposable in double staining studies. In embryonic tumours, the presence of BM markers is related to a mesenchymal differentiation of malignant cells with pericellular FN and/or maturation towards organoid structures with BM. In sarcomas, there is a loss of the pericellular BM staining around most transformed muscular and Schwann cells and adipocytes. The persistence of this labelling in some well-differentiated areas can help to diagnose the nature of the sarcoma. The persistence of intercellular filaments of FN corresponds to the mesenchymal and/or sarcomatous nature of undifferentiated anaplastic proliferations.