Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 3, 2026
Author Spotlight: A Focus on Standardized Salivary Gland Ultrasound Protocol in Connective Tissue Disease Research
Published on: October 13, 2023
Comprehensive Immunophenotypic Profiling and Prognostic Value in Salivary Gland Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma
Vy Ngoc Thuy Tran1, Komkrit Ruangritchankul2, Nikolaos G Nikitakis3
1Oral Biology International Graduate Program, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand; Center of Excellence and Innovation for Oral Health and Healthy Longevity, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; Department of Periodontology and Implantology, Faculty of Dentistry, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Objectives:
To characterize the proliferative and immunophenotypic profiles of salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) and to explore their associations with clinicopathologic features, tumour microenvironment (TME) characteristics, Pan-TRK expression, and disease prognosis.
Methods:
Forty-one MEC cases were examined using immunohistochemistry for Ki-67, Cytokeratin 19 (CK19), Aquaporin 5 (AQP5), CD3, CD8, and Pan-TRK. Clinicopathologic parameters were correlated with protein expression patterns to assess tumour behaviour and potential TRK fusion activity.
Results:
Elevated Ki-67 expression correlated with aggressive histologic features and poor clinical outcomes. CK19 expression was significantly reduced in high-grade (HG) MECs, and its loss was associated with unfavourable prognosis. High tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte density correlated with an increased risk, while cases with poor outcomes exhibited heterogeneous CD3⁺ and CD8⁺ T-cell profiles. Pan-TRK expression was detected in only five cases (12.2%), typically weak and heterogeneous, and no robust correlation with cancer recurrence risk was present.
Conclusions:
The heterogeneous immunophenotypic profiles observed in MEC reflect the biological complexity of the TME. Ki-67 was found to be a reliable indicator of tumour proliferative activity and an unfavourable prognosis. High Ki-67 expression, loss of CK19, and elevated TIL density were associated with increased recurrence risk. Although Pan-TRK expression was infrequent and not prognostically relevant, its occurrence in highly proliferative tumours suggests possible biologic interplay. Expanding immunophenotypic profiling to incorporate spatial analyses and single-cell-level characterization may deepen our understanding of MEC pathogenesis and support personalized therapeutic strategies.
