[Expression of beta-catenin and estrogen receptor in desmoid-type fibromatosis].
OBJECTIVE
To detect the expression of beta-catenin and Estrogen Receptor in desmoid-type fibromatosis.


METHODS
Nuclear beta-catenin expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in 77 lesions with desmoid-type fibromatosis and 171 other spindle cell lesions, including superficial fibromatosis (n = 18), nodular fasciitis (n = 36), keloid (n = 16), scar (n = 10), granulation tissue (n = 9), synovial sarcoma (n = 38), neufibroma (n = 13), solitary fibrous tumor (n =12), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (n = 10), low-grade myxofibrosarcoma (n = 3), low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (n = 3), and smooth muscle tumor (n = 10). In addition, the immunohistochemical expressions of ER-alpha, ER-beta and Ki-67 were examined in all of the lesions with desmoid-type fibromatosis. The nuclear immunohistochemical staining for nuclear beta-catenin and ER-beta was graded as high level ( > or = 25% of cells), low level (5%-25%) or none.


RESULTS
High-level nuclear beta-catenin staining was detected in a very limited subset of tissue types, which included 70.1% of lesions with desmoid-type fibromatosis (54/77) and 6.3% of lesions with keloid (1/16). No high-level nuclear beta-catenin staining was seen in any of the other lesions. None of the lesions with desmoid-type fibromatosis expressed ER-alpha. However, 62 (80.5%) of the lesions with desmoids-type fibromatosis were positive in ER-beta, which included 52 (67.5%) with high-level expression, and 10 (13%) with low-level expression. The Spearman correlation analysis suggested that the expression of beta-catenin was positively correlated (r = 0.867, P < 0.05) with the expression of ER-beta. The lesions with desmoid-type fibromatosis had very low Ki-67 positive rate. The recurrence of desmoids-type fibromatosis was not correlated independently with beta-catenin, ER-beta or Ki-67.


CONCLUSIONS
High-level nuclear beta-catenin staining serves as a useful diagnostic tool for desmoid-type fibromatosis. The high expression of ER-beta in desmoid-type fibromatosis provides a biological mechanism for the antiestrogenic compounds to treat fibromatosis. There might exists an interaction between beta-catenin and ER-beta. Beta-catenin, ER-beta or Ki-67 can not predict the prognosis of desmoid-type fibromatosis.
Zhang
Hong-Ying
HY
Department of Pathology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Ke
Qi
Q
Zhang
Zhang
Z
Zhang
Rui
R
Fu
Jing
J
Chen
Hui-Jiao
HJ
Wei
Bing
B
Bu
Hong
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D051176:beta Catenin