Expression of HPV, steroid receptors (ERalpha, ERbeta, PR-A and PR-B) and inhibin/activin subunits (alpha, betaA and betaB) in adenosquamous endometrial carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to determine possible pathogenetic factors and molecules which may be used as tumor markers of adenosquamous endometrial carcinoma.


METHODS
Eight adenosquamous endometrial carcinomas were immunohistochemically tested with specific monoclonal antibodies for HPV (polyclonal anti-HPV and monoclonal anti-HPV 18), estrogen receptors ER-alpha and ER-beta, progesterone receptors PR-A and PR-B and the inhibin/activin subunits inhibin-alpha, -betaA and -betaB.


RESULTS
HPV 18 and the polyclonal HPV antibody was detected in all adenosquamous endometrial carcinomas, both in the endometrioid (n = 7/8) and squamous (n = 8/8) parts of the tumor. Neither ER-alpha or ER-beta were detectable in any tumor, in contrast to PR-A and PR-B which were detected in about half of these tumors (PR-A: n = 5/8 and PR-B: n = 2/8). Inhibin-alpha and -betaB were not detected, while inhibin-betaA was expressed in all adenosquamous carcinomas.


CONCLUSIONS
The carcinogenesis of adenosquamous endometrial carcinomas was associated with HPV infection. Adenosquamous endometrial carcinomas seem not to be controlled by estrogens. The absence of the expression of the inhibin-alpha subunit suggests a tumor-suppressive function in adenosquamous endometrial tumors. The absence of the expression of the inhibin-betaB subunit, which is probably a marker of differentiation, points to the malignancy of these tumors. The other inhibin subunit, inhibin-betaA, was expressed in all adenosquamous tumors. It remains to be clarified if these parameters can be used as tumor markers.
Gingelmaier
Andrea
A
First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. andrea.gingelmaier@med.uni-muenchen.de
Gutsche
Stefanie
S
Mylonas
Ioannis
I
Shabani
Naim
N
Kuhn
Christina
C
Kunze
Susanne
S
Jeschke
Udo
U
Friese
Klaus
K
D028341:Activins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D011987:Receptors, Steroid
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins