Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in human salivary gland tumors.
We examined the immunohistochemical localization of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in human salivary gland tumors. Thirty salivary gland adenomas (SGA), 40 salivary gland carcinomas (SGC) and 15 normal salivary glands (NSG) were studied. NSG showed restricted COX-2 staining only in the epithelial cells of salivary ducts. In contrast, COX-2 protein was detected in 27 cases of SGA (90%), except for three myoepitheliomas, and in all cases of SGC (100%) at various intensities and in various fashions. Thirteen SGA (43%) and 36 SGC (90%) cases showed strong COX-2 staining predominantly in tumor cells containing ductal components, as did serous and mucous acinic components of acinic cell carcinomas, mucoepidermoid carcinomas and mucinous carcinomas. These findings may suggest that COX-2 in salivary gland tumors is expressed in tumor cells derived from pluripotential ductal epithelium that can histologically develop into either serous or mucinous acinar cells.
Sakurai
K
K
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan. k-sakura@hyo-med.ac.jp
Urade
M
M
Noguchi
K
K
Kishimoto
H
H
Ishibashi
M
M
Yasoshima
H
H
Yamamoto
T
T
Kubota
A
A
D000236:Adenoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D018987:Salivary Ducts / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases