The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and localization of cathepsin D, and then further to prove the correlation with other clinical parameters, and to survey carcinogenesis and the role of various type of the tumor cells in the salivary gland tumors.
A total of 30 salivary gland tumors(pleomorphic adenoma, n=14 ; mucoepidermoid carcinoma, n=7 ; adenoid cystic carcinoma, n=4 acinic cell carcinoma, n=1 ; adenocarcinoma, n=4) and 5 cases of normal minor salivary- gland as controls were retrieved from files of Dept. of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, KyungHee University. The tissue sections obtained from paraffin-embedded blocks were stained with Hematoxylin-eosin, and imrnunostained with rabbit anti-human c-erbB-2 oncoprotein antibody and rabbit anti-human cathepsin D antibody using labeled streptavidin-biotin complex peroxidase method.
The results were as follows ;
1. 14 cases of pleomorphic adenoma were stained negatively to c-erbB-2 oncoprotein. But 11 cases of them were positive immunoreactivity to cathepsin D, and chiefly localized in ductal cells and tumor cell proper.
2. 3 cases and 7 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma were positive immunoreactivity to c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and cathepsin D, respectively. Because these proteins localized generally in the intermediate cells and the lining cells of pseudocysts, it suggests that these cells could have different biologic behavior compared with mucous cells, epidermoid cells and clear cells.
3. 4 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma were negative immunoreactivity to c-erbB-2 oncoprotein, and 3 cases of them were positive irnmunoreactivity to cathepsin D. As the cathepsin D localized in peripheral cells of tumor parenchymes in a case of the recurred lesion, it proposes that tumor cells could more progressively infiltrate into adjacent stroma.
4. 1 case of acinic cell carcinoma was negative immunoreactivity to c-erbB-2 oncoprotein, but cathepsin D showed positive immunoreactivity weakly in the clear cells.
5. 1 case and 3 cases of adenocarcinoma NOS were positive immunoreactivity to c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and cathepsin D, respectively. And tumor cells revealing abnormal mitotic features and pleomorphism were more markedly immunoreactive response.
6. After all, c-erbB-2 oncoprotein and cathepsin D partly seem to play an important role in the initiation and progression of salivary gland tumors or in the malformation of glandular cells. The case of only cytoplasmic immunoreactivity without membranous immunoreaction to c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was showed mostly in the ductal cells of normal salivary gland, benign salivary gland tumor and malignant salivary gland tumor. For that reason it suggests that cytoplasmic immunoreactivity could have no connection with progression and maintenance of salivary gland tumors.
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