Introduction: Tumour epithelial vimentin expression is a marker ofmesenchymal differentiation during the epithelial-to-mesenchymaltransition (EMT) and may be a useful marker of carcinomas withmore aggressive behaviour. The aim of this study was to determinethe vimentin expression pattern and cellular co-localization withb-catenin in canine cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Materials and Methods: Vimentin expression was detected by immunohistochemistryin 26 cases of SCC. Co-localization with b-cateninwas evaluated by immunofluorescence on six selected infiltrativeand poorly differentiated cases.Results: Normal epidermis and well-differentiated neoplastic cordsand islands were negative, other than scattered cells, representing melanocytesand epidermal dendritic cells. In SCCs, the percentage ofvimentin-immunolabelled neoplastic cells ranged from 0e50%,mainly located at the front of tumour invasion, among ‘basaloid’ cells,showing absent/inconstant membrane and increased cytoplasmicb-catenin expression. In two cases of spindle cell SCC, neoplastic cellswere strongly immunolabelled. Vimentin-positive cells were presentalso within neoplastic emboli and lymph node metastasis. Few cellsshowed co-localization of vimentin and nuclear b-catenin.Discussion: Tumour epithelial vimentin expression could be correlatedwith poor histological differentiation of canine SCC. Its expressionin infiltrative cells showing aberrant subcellular localization ofb-catenin suggests that these cells undergo EMT.[...]
TUMOUR EPITHELIAL VIMENTIN EXPRESSION IN CANINE CUTANEOUS SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
BONGIOVANNI, LAURA;ROMANUCCI, MARIARITA;MALATESTA, DANIELA;DELLA SALDA, Leonardo;
2012-01-01
Abstract
Introduction: Tumour epithelial vimentin expression is a marker ofmesenchymal differentiation during the epithelial-to-mesenchymaltransition (EMT) and may be a useful marker of carcinomas withmore aggressive behaviour. The aim of this study was to determinethe vimentin expression pattern and cellular co-localization withb-catenin in canine cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Materials and Methods: Vimentin expression was detected by immunohistochemistryin 26 cases of SCC. Co-localization with b-cateninwas evaluated by immunofluorescence on six selected infiltrativeand poorly differentiated cases.Results: Normal epidermis and well-differentiated neoplastic cordsand islands were negative, other than scattered cells, representing melanocytesand epidermal dendritic cells. In SCCs, the percentage ofvimentin-immunolabelled neoplastic cells ranged from 0e50%,mainly located at the front of tumour invasion, among ‘basaloid’ cells,showing absent/inconstant membrane and increased cytoplasmicb-catenin expression. In two cases of spindle cell SCC, neoplastic cellswere strongly immunolabelled. Vimentin-positive cells were presentalso within neoplastic emboli and lymph node metastasis. Few cellsshowed co-localization of vimentin and nuclear b-catenin.Discussion: Tumour epithelial vimentin expression could be correlatedwith poor histological differentiation of canine SCC. Its expressionin infiltrative cells showing aberrant subcellular localization ofb-catenin suggests that these cells undergo EMT.[...]I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
