Diagnostic value and implications of vimentin expression in normal, reactive and neoplastic endocervical epithelium.
OBJECTIVE
To assess vimentin immunoreactivity in normal, reactive and neoplastic endocervical epithelium, and compare the results with p16 protein, Ki-67 and bcl-2 expression.


METHODS
Sixty-two cervical biopsy specimens including normal endocervical epithelium, tubo-endometrioid metaplasia, adenocarcinoma in situ, stratified mucin producing intraepithelial lesions (SMILE), and invasive adenocarcinomas were stained immunohistochemically for vimentin and for p16 protein, Ki-67 and bcl-2. Twelve cases also included areas of high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).


RESULTS
Normal endocervical epithelium usually showed subtle but distinct sub-nuclear and delicate lateral cell border vimentin expression while tubo-endometrioid metaplasia exhibited more diffuse cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. Usually adenocarcinoma in situ was completely negative and therefore vimentin staining sharply distinguished the benign and neoplastic epithelial elements. The SMILE lesions and high grade CIN were also vimentin negative in most cases. Most invasive adenocarcinomas were not stained but focal vimentin immunoreactivity was observed in 7/18 cases, and was restricted to small glands and infiltrating cell clusters at the deep (advancing) tumour margin.


CONCLUSIONS
Normal endocervical cells often exhibit vimentin staining, and this is increased in reactive and metaplastic situations, whereas adenocarcinoma in situ is usually completely negative. Therefore vimentin is a useful additional diagnostic marker in the assessment of problematic cervical glandular lesions. The localised re-expression of vimentin at the deep margin of some endocervical adenocarcinomas may be relevant to the process of tumour progression and invasion in these cases.
Stewart
C J R
CJ
Department of Histopathology, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Perth, Western Australia.
Little
L
L
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014746:Vimentin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014746:Vimentin