Coordinate expression of cytokeratin 8 and cytokeratin 17 immunohistochemical staining in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical squamous cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical analysis and review of the literature.
OBJECTIVE
Several Cytokeratin (CK) isoforms have been analyzed in cervical intraepithelial lesions. However, previously reported numbers of specimens have been too low to evaluate any correlation between CK and CIN.


METHODS
We examined the immunohistochemical staining of p16, CK8, and CK17 in 134 cervical tissues obtained by punch biopsy and graded as follows: CIN I (n=39), CIN II (n=31), CIN III (n=43), SCC (n=21).


RESULTS
p16 staining was identified in 74.4% of CIN I, 93.6% of CIN II, 97.7% of CIN III, and 100% of SCC cases. CK8 and CK17 staining were identified in 12.8% and 33.3% of CIN I, 22.6% and 58.1% of CIN II, 62.8% and 81.4% of CIN III, and 71.4% and 95.2% of SCC cases, respectively. Interestingly, positivity for CK8 and CK17 correlated with increasing lesion grade of the intraepithelial lesions and also correlated with p16 staining (p16, p=0.0008; CK8, p<0.0001, and CK17, p<0.0001), and a coordinate expression profile of CK8[+]/CK17[+] correlates with increasing CIN grade and carcinoma (likewise, a coordinate expression profile of CK8[-]/CK17[-] correlates with decreasing CIN grade and absence of carcinoma), but expression of just CK8 (CK8[+]/CK17[-]) or just CK17 (CK8[-]/CK17[+]) does not correlate with increasing CIN grade and carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of the present study showed that p16, CK8, and CK17 immunostaining differed according to the degree of cervical intraepithelial lesions and SCC, and surprisingly, that staining was significantly correlated with increasing lesion grade of CIN and SCC.
Ikeda
Katsuhide
K
Department of Pathology, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Fujigaoka 1-30, Yokohama, 227-8501, Japan. katsuhide@jcom.home.ne.jp
Tate
Genshu
G
Suzuki
Takao
T
Mitsuya
Toshiyuki
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000276:immunology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053537:Keratin-17 / Q000276:immunology*; D053533:Keratin-8 / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053537:Keratin-17; D053533:Keratin-8