Epithelial versus endothelial CEACAM1 expression and angiogenesis in epididymal adenomatoid tumor.
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of the pro-angiogenic factor carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule-1 (CEACAM1) in epididymal adeno-matoid tumor tissue, a very rare benign neoplasia, in relation to its vascularization.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry for CEACAM1 and for both endothelial markers CD31 and CD34 was performed in normal human epididymal and epididymal adenomatoid tumor tissue. The vessel density was calculated in four tumor regions with different degrees of vascularization in comparison to the vascularization of the normal epididymal tissue.


RESULTS
CEACAM1 was found in normal epididymal epithelium, while the epithelium of tumor glands was mostly negative. Only few blood vessels and lymphatics in adenomatoid tumor tissue expressed CEACAM1. The assessment of vascularization revealed either equal or a significantly lower vessel density in some adenomatoid tumor regions in comparison to normal epididymal tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate that despite its epithelial down-regulation, CEACAM1 is not present in the majority of adenomatoid tumor blood vessels, which might be related to the lower angiogenic activity and benign behaviour of this tumor.
Kilic
Nerbil
N
Institute of Anatomy, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
Tilki
Derya
D
Ergün
Babek
B
Seitz
Michael
M
Stief
Christian G
CG
Reich
Oliver
O
Ergün
Süleyman
S
D018254:Adenomatoid Tumor / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004822:Epididymis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism
D015703:Antigens, CD; D018952:Antigens, CD34; C069847:CD66 antigens; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1