Maspin expression in normal skin and usual cutaneous carcinomas

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2002

Authors

Reis, JS (Author) Other; Torio, B (Author) Other; Albergaria, A (Author) Other; Fernando Schmitt (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Virchows Archiv

Vol. 441

Pages: 551-558

ISSN: 0945-6317

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 35 Citations

Scopus - 37 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-MBB

DOI: 10.1007/s00428-002-0710-1

Abstract (EN): Maspin is a serine protease inhibitor whose gene is located on 3q27. Several lines of evidence point towards its putative role as tumor suppressor gene and angiogenesis inhibitor; however, there are compelling data showing that maspin is also expressed in the nuclear compartment and might be associated with the differentiation of specific cell lineages. No systematic study of maspin expression in normal skin and usual skin carcinomas have been published so far. We semiquantitatively analyzed the distribution and immunoreactivity pattern of maspin in 14 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 16 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and in the adjacent normal epidermis of all cases. We also examined the correlation of maspin expression with histological type, grade, vascular invasion, perineural infiltration, and mitotic counting. Cytoplasmic expression of maspin was observed in suprabasal, prickle, and granular cell layers of normal epidermis; cells of the germinative hair matrix, Henle's and Huxley's layers, and cuticle of hair follicles; mature sebaceous cells and sweat gland's secretory cells. Nuclear expression was detected in some basal/myoepithelial cells of the sweat glands and scattered mature sebaceous cells. All SCCs but one grade IV SCC showed maspin expression, and it was correlated with the differentiation of these neoplasms. BCCs presented variable maspin expression, while metatypical carcinomas showed moderate to intense maspin expression, nodular BCCs variable contents of maspin and displayed a peculiar distribution, confined to the center of the neoplastic nodules. Two BCCs and one SCC showed maspin nuclear expression. No correlation with other clinical pathological features was observed. Our findings do not support the role of maspin as a tumor suppressor gene and suggest that this serpin is probably associated with specific lines of differentiation.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8