title: Immunohistochemical localization of filaggrin in benign, premalignant and malignant cervical tissue.
abstract: Epithelial distribution of filaggrin, a histidine-rich protein related to squamous terminal differentiation, was investigated in 87 cervical biopsies using an avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique with a monoclonal anti-human filaggrin antibody (AKH1). Normal squamous cervical epithelium exhibited a positive homogeneous immunoperoxidase stain in the upper parabasal, intermediate and superficial cell layers. Similar findings were obtained in cervical condylomas, although full-thickness staining was observed in 35.7% of the cases (P < 0.001). Filaggrin expression in CIN was inversely related to the severity of the lesion (P < 0.001). An irregular staining pattern was present in most high-grade CIN. Filaggrin expression was closely connected to the degree of tumour differentiation (P < 0.05) in squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix. Abnormal filaggrin stainings identified a premalignant/malignant cervical squamous lesion with a positive predictive value of 92.3%. Non-squamous epithelia showed lack of filaggrin expression. Filaggrin may therefore be considered a marker of squamous differentiation in both the normal and pathological human uterine cervix.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marzo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valcuende
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castells
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Bonilla-Musoles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000737:chemistry; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry*; D003218:Condylomata Acuminata / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000737:chemistry*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D002577:Uterine Cervical Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000717249:FLG protein, human; D000091344:Filaggrin Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins