title: Immunohistochemical expression analysis of inhibin-alpha and -beta subunits in partial and complete moles, trophoblastic tumors, and endometrial decidua.
abstract: The expression of inhibin-alpha subunit has been described in normal placentas, hydatidiform moles, and trophoblastic tumors. We performed a double immunohistochemical expression analysis of inhibin-alpha and inhibin-beta subunits in a cytogenetically well characterized series of 21 complete and 22 partial hydatidiform moles, 2 placental site trophoblastic tumors, and one choriocarcinoma. Syncytiotrophoblastic cells were consistently inhibin-alpha and inhibin-beta positive in all hydatidiform moles and in the one choriocarcinoma. Cytotrophoblast was negative for both subunits in all trophoblastic lesions studied. While villous intermediate trophoblastic cells were consistently inhibin-alpha negative in all hydatidiform moles, focal inhibin-beta immunoreactivity was detected in villous intermediate trophoblast in approximately one third of complete and partial hydatidiform moles. Decidual stromal cells in 40 hydatidiform moles were inhibin-alpha and inhibin-beta positive in approximately one third of cases. Both placental site trophoblastic tumors were inhibin-alpha positive but inhibin-beta negative. Our findings indicate that inhibin-alpha and -beta subunits are consistently coexpressed in syncytiotrophoblast in complete and partial moles. Immunohistochemical detection of inhibin subunits may be useful in the differential diagnosis of trophoblastic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pathologie, A 2, 2, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kommoss
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coerdt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müntefering
mesh_terms: D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry; D003656:Decidua / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006828:Hydatidiform Mole / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000032:analysis*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000032:analysis*; D007621:Karyotyping; D011247:Pregnancy; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D014328:Trophoblastic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C094377:inhibin-alpha subunit; D007265:Inhibins; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits