Ber-EP4 is a useful marker for follicular germinative cell differentiation of cutaneous epithelial neoplasms.
Ber-EP4 is a monoclonal antibody that recognizes 34-kDa and 39-kDa non-covalently linked glycopolypeptides expressed by most human epithelial cells and carcinomas. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical staining of 31 cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC); 20 cases of trichoblastoma (TB), including ten cases of nodular type, eight cases of cribriform type (trichoepithelioma) and two cases of columnar type (desmoplastic trichoepithelioma); 16 cases of actinic keratosis (AK); and 10 cases each of Bowen's disease, poroma and seborrheic keratosis. Six cases of BCC and AK were co-lesions of both neoplasms. In normal skin tissue, Ber-EP4 reacted positively with the secretory portion of eccrine glands and follicular germinative cells at the lower end of catagen hairs. Neoplastic cells in 97% of cases with BCC reacted positively with Ber-EP4 in at least 5% of neoplastic cells. Those in 90% with nodular type TB and 50% with trichoepithelioma also reacted positively in at least 5% of neoplastic cells. No cases of poroma, seborrheic keratosis, AK or Bowen's disease were immunohistochemically positive for Ber-EP4 in neoplastic cells. In all six cases with co-lesions of BCC and AK, neoplastic cells of BCC reacted positively with Ber-EP4 and those of AK were negative. Immunohistochemical examination using the Ber-EP4 antibody is a useful tool for diagnosing neoplasms with follicular germinative differentiation, such as TB, TE or BCC, and for differentiating those from squamous cell carcinoma in situ, poroma or seborrheic keratosis.
Department of Dermatology, Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital, Kawasaki, Japan. shin8113@nms.ac.jp
Shin-ichi
S
Ansai
Ryoko
R
Takayama
Tetsunori
T
Kimura
Seiji
S
Kawana
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001913:Bowen's Disease / Q000473:pathology; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007642:Keratosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C117805:Ber-EP4 monoclonal antibody; C115012:human epithelial antigen-125; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm