Two canine Merkel cell tumours: immunoexpression of c-KIT, E-cadherin, beta-catenin and S100 protein

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Rui M. Gil da Costa (Author) FEUP; Alexandra Rema (Author) Other; Maria A. Pires (Author) Other; Fátima Gäertner (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Veterinary Dermatology

Vol. 21 No. 2

Pages: 198-201

ISSN: 0959-4493

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citations

Scopus - 10 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-860

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3164.2009.00768.x

Abstract (EN): Canine Merkel cell tumours are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms that show a relatively benign biological behaviour when compared with their human counterparts. To date, little information is available on their immunohistochemical properties. This report describes the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of two such tumours. The tumours' immunoreactivity profile was studied with respect to different cellular molecules including chromogranin A (CGA), neurone-specific enolase (NSE), S100 protein, c-KIT, the cytokeratins (CKs) detected by pancytokeratin (AE1/AE3) antibodies (i.e. high molecular weight CKs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 14, 15 and 16, and low molecular weight CKs 7, 8 and 19) and three markers proposed to correlate with increased malignancy in human tumours: E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p63 protein. In both lesions, tumour cells were positive for cytokeratins, CGA, NSE, S100 and c-KIT. No immunostaining was observed for p63 protein, and there was no loss or change in E-cadherin or beta-catenin immunoexpression. These results suggest that the generally benign behaviour of canine Merkel cell tumours, when compared with their human counterparts, may be partly explained by the conservation of important intercellular adhesion molecules such as E-cadherin and b-catenin. Additionally, expression of S100 but not of the p63 protein suggests that these canine tumours present a trend towards neural, rather than basal, epithelial differentiation and do not readily compare with human Merkel cell tumours.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 4