Tumour Differentiation (tumour + differentiation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Altered patterns of the interferon-inducible gene IFI16 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: immunohistochemical study including correlation with retinoblastoma protein, human papillomavirus infection and proliferation index

HISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2004
B Azzimonti
Aims:, To investigate whether the expression of interferon (IFN)-inducible gene IFI16 is inversely related to proliferative activity in vivo, we compared immunohistochemical reactivity of IFI16 in a series of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) with their proliferation index and the cell cycle regulator pRb. As human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is manifested by changes in the function or expression level of host genes such as IFN-inducible genes, we also investigated the presence of HPV DNA to determine whether head and neck cancers associated with HPV DNA can be distinguished from tumours that are presumably transformed by other mechanisms. Methods:, Thirty-six HNSCCs were evaluated for IFI16, pRb and Ki67 expression by immunohistochemistry. The presence of HPV was also detected by polymerase chain reaction. Nine tumours were located in the oropharynx (tonsillar area) and 27 in the larynx. Results:, HPV DNA was found in 14 of 25 (56%) laryngeal SCCs and in five of nine (56%) tonsillar SCC specimens examined; 17 out of the 19 HPV-DNA-positive cases showed high-grade IFI16 expression. Overall, proliferative activity was significantly related to tumour differentiation and histological grading. IFI16 protein expression was significantly inversely correlated with Ki67 (P = 0.039). Low-proliferating tumours positive for IFI16 staining showed a marked expression of pRb and a better prognosis than those whose tumours had low IFI16, pRb levels and a high proliferation index. Conclusions:, To our knowledge, this is the first expression analysis of the IFN-inducible IFI16 gene in HNSCC. Low-proliferating tumours positive for IFI16 staining showed a marked expression of pRb and a better prognosis than those whose tumours had low IFI16, pRb levels and a high proliferation index. [source]


Expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E- and P-selectin and tumour-associated macrophages in renal cell carcinoma

HISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2000
B Hemmerlein
Aims Neoangiogenesis is accompanied by an increase in endothelial surface, which can support infiltration by immune cells depending on adhesion molecule expression. Therefore, the expression of cell adhesion molecules on microvessels and epithelial cells was analysed in renal cell carcinomas as compared to tumour-free tissue. Methods and results PECAM-1, CD34, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, VLA-4, P- and E-selectin, the macrophage antigens Ki-M1P and Mac-1, and lymphocyte function antigen LFA-1 were identified immunohistochemically. VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin were equally or less expressed, whereas P-selectin was increased on microvessels in tumour tissue. The density of VCAM-1-positive tumour microvessels correlated positively with an advanced tumour stage and E- and P-selectin-positive tumour microvessels with the amount of associated macrophages. The expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on neoplastic epithelia correlated with an increased density of macrophages and a minor degree of tumour differentiation. Conclusions The positive correlation of macrophage infiltration and expression of cell adhesion molecules on tumour microvessels and epithelia with minor tumour differentiation and an advanced stage indicates that adhesion molecule expression is not associated with an effective antitumour function of macrophages [source]


Immunohistochemical analysis of heme oxygenase-1 in preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions during chemical hepatocarcinogenesis,

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2004
Fabiana Caballero
Summary Heme oxygenase (HO) breaks down the pro-oxidant heme into carbon monoxide, iron and the antioxidant biliverdin. The isoform HO-1 plays an effective role to counteract oxidative damage and to control inflammation. Prolonged cellular damage due to chronic inflammation is one of the reasons leading to the development of tumours. The aim of this work was to investigate HO-1 expression and localization along the different stages of chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis (HCC) and the occurring morphological changes. To provoke sustained oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, CF1 mice received dietary p -dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB, 0.5%, w/w) during a whole period of 14 months. HO-1 expression increased along the experimental trial in morphologically normal hepatocytes in DAB-treated animals. HO-1 expression diminished in altered hepatic foci (AHF) and oval cells and early preneoplastic lesions. Otherwise, marked HO-1 overexpression was detected in Kupffer cells and macrophages surrounding necrotic and nodular areas. Adenomas showed decreased HO-1 immunostaining. In hepatocellular carcinomas, an inverse relationship was found between the immunohistochemical expression of HO-1 and the degree of tumour differentiation, being negative in poorly differentiated tumours. In our experimental model, down modulation of HO-1 expression correlated with malignancy progression. Thus, our data point to activation of HO-1 as a potential therapeutic tool. [source]


Type II nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) expression correlates with lymph node status in oral squamous cell carcinoma

JOURNAL OF ORAL PATHOLOGY & MEDICINE, Issue 3 2001
Peter A. Brennan
Abstract: In tumour biology, nitric oxide (NO) has a complex array of concentration-dependent actions, including both inhibitory and promoting effects. It is thought that the levels of NO found in many human cancers lead to enhanced angiogenesis and tumour dissemination. In the current study, we assessed the immunohistochemical expression of the enzyme type II nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) in 41 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma and correlated the findings with lymph node status. A significant relationship was found between NOS2 expression and lymph node metastasis (P<0.0002). Furthermore, lymph node metastasis correlated with the degree and intensity of staining seen (P<0.001). No correlation was found between the size of the primary tumour, degree of tumour differentiation or smoking status and NOS2 staining. Western blotting confirmed NOS2 protein expression in select cases. As with many other human tumours, NOS2 is not a ubiquitous finding in oral cancer. Its expression may be of value in assessing lymph node status prior to surgery, and it represents a target for possible therapeutic manipulation. [source]


Molecular characterization of tumour heterogeneity and malignant mesothelioma cell differentiation by gene profiling

THE JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2005
Xiaojuan Sun
Abstract Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive tumour, characterized by a variable differentiation pattern and poor prognosis. At present, the clinical outcome in patients with malignant mesothelioma is mainly predicted by the morphological phenotype of the tumour. However, this conventional clinicopathological parameter is of limited value, partly because of the biological heterogeneity of this tumour and poor understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the various patterns of growth. To elucidate the intrinsic molecular programmes that determine tumour differentiation, oligonucleotide arrays were used in an in vitro model of mesothelioma differentiation. The analysis of 2059 genes detected 102 genes that were significantly deregulated. Clustering of these genes into functional categories showed distinctive patterns for the two phenotypes, namely epithelioid and sarcomatoid. The molecular fingerprint of the sarcomatoid tumour component indicates overrepresentation of growth factor receptors and growth factor binding proteins, whereas epithelioid mesothelioma cells express other tumour-promoting factors involved in differentiation, metabolism, and regulation of apoptosis. These differences in the molecular phenotype may give a better basis for diagnosis and for designing novel therapies. Copyright © 2005 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Expression of integrins and E-cadherin in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck,

APMIS, Issue 9 2004
J. G. ERIKSEN
Integrins and cadherins are cell adhesion molecules suggested to play an important role in malignant progression and tumour differentiation. Our aim was to characterise the pattern of expression and the relations between integrin ,1, ,4, ,6 and E-cadherin and the different histopathological features important when judging tumour differentiation, using a well-defined scoring system. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pre-irradiation biopsies from 85 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) were stained and evaluated for the expression of integrin ,1, ,4 and ,6 and E-cadherin. The integrins were upregulated in carcinomas compared to the adjacent mucosa and E-cadherin was downregulated. However, differences were found within the tumour: Expression of E-cadherin was lost and the three integrins were upregulated at the tumour borders, compared to central parts of the tumour biopsy. Expression of the integrins did not correlate with tumour or histopathological parameters, whereas expression of E-cadherin was correlated with high degree of keratinisation, high nuclear maturation and few mitoses , factors that characterise well-differentiated carcinomas -and E-cadherin can therefore be considered as a marker of differentiation. Furthermore, loss of adhesion expressed by low E-cadherin and integrin ,4 correlated with the presence of nodal metastases at the time of diagnosis. [source]


T-cadherin loss induces an invasive phenotype in human keratinocytes and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells in vitro and is associated with malignant transformation of cutaneous SCC in vivo

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
D. Pfaff
Summary Background, Cadherins play important roles in controlling keratinocyte growth, differentiation and survival. Atypical glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored T-cadherin (T-cad) is highly expressed in the basal keratinocyte layer of skin. The role of T-cad in keratinocyte biology and pathology is unclear. Objectives, To define the role of T-cad in the pathogenesis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) through gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies in vitro and through examination of T-cad expression patterns in human cutaneous SCC specimens in relation to histological classification of degree of tumour differentiation. Methods,In vitro studies employed lentiviral-mediated overexpression/silencing of T-cad in normal human keratinocyte (HaCaT) and SCC (A431) cell lines, monolayer and multicellular spheroid culture models, cell morphology analyses and assays of random motility and invasion. Immunohistochemistry was performed on skin specimens from patients with actinic keratosis, Bowen disease or SCC. Results,In vitro, silencing of T-cad induced a morphologically elongated and disorganized cell phenotype, increased random motility and markedly enhanced invasive potential. Overexpression of T-cad induced a morphologically spread and compact cell phenotype and blunted invasive potential. In vivo, regional loss of T-cad expression was more frequent and prominent in SCC classified as moderately-to-poorly differentiated than in SCC classified as well differentiated. However, in both categories aberrant and/or absence of T-cad expression was associated with histological features of a potentially more malignant and invasive phenotype of cutaneous SCC. Conclusions, T-cad is a controlling determinant of SCC phenotype and invasive behaviour and its loss is associated with the process of malignant transformation from noninvasive to invasive SCC. [source]


A Western blot analysis of P-glycoprotein in retinoblastoma

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009
S SETHI
Purpose Literature regarding role of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a multi-drug resistance (MDR) protein, in retinoblastoma (Rb) is scanty and research has mainly concentrated upon immunohistochemistry. We analyzed P-gp expression in Rb by Western blotting (WB) and correlated with histopathology (HP). Methods Prospective analysis of P-gp was done between May 2008-May 2009 on 15 human Rb tissue specimens after enucleation, either as primary treatment [Group I;n=10] or secondary to chemotherapy (vincristine, etoposide and carboplatin) [Group II;n:5]. Samples collected immediately after enucleation in RPMI-1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, were subjected to WB. HP details (routine H & E) were considered for tumour differentiation and invasion of optic nerve/ocular coats. P-gp expression was graded semi-quantitatively as negative, low or high. Results By WB, P-gp expression was found in 30% of patients in group I (3/10) and 80% of patients in group II (4/5). All expressions in group II were high expression. On HP, in Group I: 70% poorly differentiated (PD) and 30% well differentiated (WD) tumours; 5/10 had involvement of optic nerve/ocular coats/others. In Group II: 60% PD and 40% WD tumors. 1/5 had involvement of optic nerve/ocular coats. 2/5 chemo-treated eyes were phthisical. Conclusion By WB analysis, P-gp was expressed more frequently in Rbs treated by chemotherapy. No significant relation between tumor differentiation, tumor invasion and P-gp expression was found. Though this may be the first study of its kind with promising results, similar studies could be done in more patients with further parameters, especially while managing chemoresistant cases of Rb in the only remaining eye of a child. [source]