The adhesion molecules NCAM, HCAM, PECAM-1 and ICAM-1 in normal salivary gland tissues and salivary gland malignancies.
BACKGROUND
Some malignant salivary gland tumors are known for their propensity to exhibit perineural invasion and vascular metastases. It was hypothesized that alterations in the expression of cell adhesion molecules are involved in these processes.


METHODS
The expression and distribution of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), HCAM (CD44), platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in normal salivary gland tissues and selected salivary gland malignancies, especially adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCyCa) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PMLG), were determined immunohistochemically, and their influence on histologically demonstrated perineural invasion, vascular invasion, and tumor recurrence/patient death were investigated.


RESULTS
NCAM, HCAM, and ICAM-1 were often found to be expressed by neoplastic cells, but no correlation to perineural invasion, tumor behavior, or patient prognosis was found. PECAM-1 was rarely and only focally expressed in three tumors, all of which were related to tumor metastases and patient death.


CONCLUSIONS
Immunohistochemical demonstration of NCAM, HCAM, and ICAM-1 is not related to perineural invasion or tumor behavior. PECAM-1 expression was related to vascular invasion and poor patient prognosis in three cases.
Perschbacher
Kristina
K
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont, Canada.
Jackson-Boeters
Linda
L
Daley
Tom
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000473:pathology; D018267:Carcinoma, Acinar Cell / Q000473:pathology; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000473:pathology; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000473:pathology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000473:pathology*; D015996:Survival Rate
C497483:CD44 protein, human; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1