HBME-1, MOC-31, WT1 and calretinin: an assessment of recently described markers for mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate HBME-1, WT1, calretinin and MOC-31 in the differential diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma of the lung.


RESULTS
Paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed blocks from six reactive pleuras, 42 mesotheliomas and 40 adenocarcinomas were used. Sections were stained for Leu-M1, HBME-1, calretinin, WT1 and MOC-31. Leu-M1 was positive or equivocal in 34% of mesotheliomas and in 78% of adenocarcinomas; reactive pleuras were all negative. HBME-1 was positive or equivocal in 76% of mesotheliomas and in 73% of adenocarcinomas; five reactive pleuras were positive. Calretinin was positive or equivocal in 92% of mesotheliomas and in 73% of adenocarcinomas; two reactive pleura were equivocal and four were positive. WT1 was positive or equivocal in 72% of mesotheliomas (excluding autopsy cases) and in 20% of adenocarcinomas; all reactive pleuras were positive. MOC-31 was positive or equivocal in 5% of mesotheliomas and in 90% of adenocarcinomas; all reactive pleuras were negative. The reaction with Leu-M1 was graded as equivocal in 25% of the adenocarcinomas. All 24 of the autopsy cases of mesothelioma were negative for WT1 and in many operative specimens only the periphery was stained.


CONCLUSIONS
Neither calretinin nor HBME-1 are sufficiently discriminatory to be of use, even as members of a panel of antibodies. WT1 shows some promise, but it cannot be used on autopsy material. The utility of MOC-31 is confirmed, and outperforms Leu-M1.
Oates
J
J
Department of Histopathology, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
Edwards
C
C
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D037282:Calreticulin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D025721:WT1 Proteins
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D037282:Calreticulin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C407642:Leu-M1 antigen; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025721:WT1 Proteins