Immunoreactivity for cadherins, HGF/SF, met, and erbB-2 in pleural malignant mesotheliomas.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the immunoreactivity of malignant mesotheliomas for N- and E-cadherins, hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) and the tyrosine kinase receptors, met and erbB-2.


RESULTS
Pleural malignant mesotheliomas were stained using a standard indirect immunoperoxidase method applied to paraffin sections. Malignant mesotheliomas were immunoreactive for N-cadherin (26/29; 90%), met (29/29; 100%) and erbB-2 (28/29; 97%). Focal immunoreactivity was present for E-cadherin in epithelioid or mixed tumours (14/25; 56%), and for HGF/SF (9/24; 38%).


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of N-cadherin supports the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma and use of appropriate antibodies would be a useful addition to a diagnostic antibody panel. Focal staining for E-cadherin does not exclude mesothelioma. Signalling pathways mediated via met and erbB-2 may play a role in the growth and spread of malignant mesotheliomas.
Thirkettle
I
I
Department of Histopathology/Cytopathology, Norfolk & Norwich Hospital, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, UK.
Harvey
P
P
Hasleton
P S
PS
Ball
R Y
RY
Warn
R M
RM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000032:analysis*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*
D015820:Cadherins; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases