title: Immunohistochemical expression of p63 in pleomorphic adenomas and carcinomas ex-pleomorphic adenomas of salivary glands.
abstract: Alteration of the p63 protein expression has been associated with several human cancers including salivary gland tumors. We sought to assess the p63 expression in pleomorphic adenomas (PA) and carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenomas (Ca ex-PA), since this protein has been related to myoepithelial phenotype and the biological behavior of cancer. Ten samples of PA and ten of Ca ex-PA were submitted to immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal anti-p63 antibody, clone 4A4. p63 was regularly expressed in myoepithelial cells' nuclei of the normal glandular parenchyma and in PA, but it was completely absent in five out of the ten samples of Ca ex-PA. (P < 0.05 by Fisher's exact test). Apparently, only those cases depicting some myoepithelial differentiation were positive. Our data suggest that loss of myoepithelial differentiation is important in the evolution of Ca ex-PA, and corroborate the hypothesis that p63 antigen may be a useful marker of myoepithelial cells in salivary glands neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia Comparada, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marisa Cristina Leite Santos
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Genelhu
authors.forename: Helenice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.forename: Fernando Augusto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Antônio Hugo José Froes de Marques
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Geovanni Dantas
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Cassali
mesh_terms: D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C115051:TP63 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins