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Immunostaining for CD31 and CD34 in Kaposi sarcoma
R Russell Jones1, G Orchard, B Zelger
1St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas's Hospital, London.
Insights
Immunohistochemical markers CD34 and CD31 are superior to traditional markers for diagnosing Kaposi sarcoma. These endothelial cell markers aid in understanding the histogenesis of this complex tumor.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunohistochemistry
- Pathology
Background:
- Kaposi sarcoma is a complex tumor with debated histogenesis.
- Traditional endothelial cell markers like Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 (UEA-1) and factor VIII related antigen have limitations in diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate antibodies against CD31 (JC70/A) and CD34 (QBEND/10, anti-HPCA-1) in Kaposi sarcoma.
- To assess their diagnostic utility in routine practice.
- To compare their efficacy with UEA-1 and factor VIII related antigen.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 24 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded Kaposi sarcoma cases.
- Immunohistochemical staining using Streptavidin biotin technique for CD34 and CD31 antibodies.
- Comparison with UEA-1 and factor VIII related antigen using established methods.
Main Results:
- CD34 antibodies (QBEND/10, HPCA-1) showed universal labeling of Kaposi sarcoma lesions.
- CD31 (JC70/A) provided less consistent labeling of spindle cells.
- Both CD34 and CD31 demonstrated superior performance compared to UEA-1 and factor VIII related antigen.
Conclusions:
- Kaposi sarcoma is confirmed as a tumor of endothelial cell origin.
- CD34 and CD31 immunostaining aids in diagnosing Kaposi sarcoma in routinely processed tissues.
- These markers offer insights into the histogenesis of Kaposi sarcoma.
Aims:
To evaluate antibodies directed against CD31 (JC70/A) and CD34 (QBEND/10 and anti-HPCA-1) more extensively in Kaposi sarcoma; to assess their value in routine diagnosis; and to compare them with the traditional endothelial cell markers Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 (UEA-1) and factor VIII related antigen.
Methods:
Twenty four cases of Kaposi sarcoma were studied retrospectively. All specimens had been fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin wax. The antibodies were applied using the Streptavidin biotin technique in all cases except for UEA-1, for which an indirect two stage method was used involving peroxidase conjugated anti-ulex as the secondary antibody.
Results:
Tumours were classified into those showing angiomatoid or lymphangiomatoid elements and spindle cell lesions. Universal labelling of all lesions and virtually all elements within lesions was seen with the anti-CD34 antibodies QBEND/10 and HPCA-1. Labelling of spindle cells was less consistent with JC70/A but both markers were superior to the traditional endothelial cell markers UEA-1 and factor VIII related antigen.
Conclusions:
These data confirm that Kaposi sarcoma is a tumour of endothelial cell origin. They shed further light on the histogenesis of this complex tumour and demonstrate that immunostaining for CD34 and CD31 can be used as an aid to diagnosis in routinely processed tissue.
