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Immunolocalization of lactoferrin in cartilage-forming neoplasms
Antonio Ieni1, Valeria Barresi, Maddacena Grosso
1Department of Human Pathology, Policlinico Universitario G Martino, Pad D, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy.
Insights
Lactoferrin (Lf) is found in rare cartilage tumors like chondroblastomas and chondromyxoid fibromas, but not in common ones. This suggests these tumors may originate from less mature cells, similar to fetal bone development.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Histology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding glycoprotein within the transferrin family.
- Lf immunoreactivity is observed in various neoplastic tissues and fetal bone osteoblasts.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate Lf immunoexpression in human cartilage-forming tumors.
- Determine if Lf expression correlates with tumor type and cellular maturity.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of Lf in 30 cartilage tumors (enchondromas, osteochondromas, chondroblastomas, chondrosarcomas, chondromyxoid fibromas).
- Analysis of normal adult and fetal cartilaginous and bone tissues.
- Ki-67 antigen expression was assessed for proliferation markers.
Main Results:
- Lactoferrin (Lf) immunoexpression was detected exclusively in chondroblastomas (CBL) and chondromyxoid fibromas (CMF).
- Lf was absent in enchondromas, osteochondromas, and chondrosarcomas, suggesting distinct histogenesis.
- Lf was present in fetal chondroblasts and osteoblasts but not in adult counterparts.
Conclusions:
- The presence of Lf in CBL and CMF neoplastic cells indicates a potential link to less mature cellular phenotypes.
- Lf expression patterns may differentiate certain cartilage tumors from others.
Background:
Lactoferrin (Lf) is an 80-kDa basic glycoprotein, a member of the transferrin family of iron-binding proteins. Lf immunoreactivity has been extensively investigated in many neoplastic tissues. Recently, Lf expression was documented in the osteoblastic lineage of bone-forming tumors as well as in osteoblasts of fetal bone.
Methods:
Lactoferrin (Lf) immunoexpression was investigated in 30 human cartilage-forming tumors [15 enchondromas, 6 osteochondromas, 3 chondroblastomas (CBL), 3 chondrosarcomas, and 3 chondromyxoid fibromas (CMF)] as well as in human normal bone specimens and cartilaginous tissues obtained at autopsy from 5 adults and 3 fetuses.In addition, the immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67 antigen was analyzed on parallel sections from the same specimens. Quantification of Lf immunoreactivity was performed by using an intensity distribution (ID) score.
Results:
Lf immunoexpression with a variable ID score was encountered exclusively in 3 of 3 chondroblastomas and in 3 of 3 chondromyxoid fibromas. Lf immunoreactivity in these tumors, in clear contrast with the Lf absence in enchondromas, osteochondromas, and chondrosarcomas, may suggest a different histogenesis of the former. In agreement with this histogenetic origin, we detected Lf in the chondroblasts and osteoblasts within the fetal tissue, whereas no immunoreactivity was found in the corresponding adult cells. No significant associations were found between the Lf immunoexpression and the Ki 67 LI of the tumors of our series.
Conclusions:
The presence of Lf in neoplastic cells of CBL and CMF, as well as in fetal cartilaginous tissue, may reflect a less mature phenotype of these tumors.
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