title: Immunohistochemical expression of p63 in endometrial polyps: evidence that a basal cell immunophenotype is maintained.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although endometrial polyps likely originate from reserve cells in the basal layer, the underlying biology is not fully understood. One protein that plays an important role in regulating epithelial proliferation and differentiation is the 63-kd membrane protein (p63), which is also a marker of basal and reserve cells in the female genital tract. Our objective was to determine whether p63 is expressed differently in postmenopausal endometrial polyps than in the adjacent endometrium.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 36 specimens of endometrial polyps and 36 samples of the adjacent endometrium were obtained from postmenopausal women through hysteroscopic surgery performed in a tertiary-care university hospital. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of p63 in all samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of endometrial polyp samples (94.4%) presented nuclear immunostaining for p63, whereas only 5.6% of adjacent endometrium samples were positive for p63 (P < 0.0001). Distribution of p63 immunostaining in the endometrial polyp samples was homogeneous.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide evidence that a basal cell immunophenotype is maintained in the endometrial polyps seen in postmenopausal women, suggesting that p63 plays a role in the pathogenesis of such polyps.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. aanoguei@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Antonio Alberto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Elza Carvalho
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Sant'Ana de Almeida
authors.forename: Omero Benedicto
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Poli Neto
authors.forename: Leandra Naira
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Zambelli Ramalho
authors.forename: Júlio César
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rosa e Silva
authors.forename: Francisco José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Candido dos Reis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D017698:Postmenopause; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: C081876:CKAP4 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins