title: Differential expression of p-ERM, a marker of cell polarity, in benign and neoplastic oviductal epithelium.
abstract: Serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) is a noninvasive phase of pelvic serous cancer at risk for metastasizing. Because of its biologic significance, its accurate distinction from nonmalignant mimics is important. Loss of cell orientation is an important feature of STIC. We sought to determine whether the immunohistochemical localization of cytoskeletal-organizing proteins phospho-ezrin-radaxin-moesin (p-ERM) would be useful in making this distinction. The benign oviductal entities (normal and p53 signatures), premalignant atypias (tubal intraepithelial lesions in transition), serous intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs), and carcinomas were analyzed for 5 staining patterns and compared. Linear or uniform luminal p-ERM staining was strongly associated with benign mucosa in contrast to STICs, in which it was lost and often replaced by nonlinear or nonuniform patterns highlighting individually cell groups or single cells. Premalignant atypias were similar to benign mucosa by p-ERM staining and retained the linear luminal pattern. This study shows, for the first time, that patterns of staining for an immunohistochemical correlate of cell polarity (p-ERM) differ between STICs, their benign counterparts and premalignant atypias that do not fulfill the criteria for STICs. If confirmed, these findings warrant further analysis of indices of cell polarity as objective markers for the diagnosis and mapping of the evolution of pelvic serous precursors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Jonathan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bijron
authors.forename: Ju
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Michelle S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Frank D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: McKeon
authors.forename: Marisa R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nucci
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Crum
authors.forename: Wa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xian
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016764:Cell Polarity; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D000099149:Ezrin
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000099149:Ezrin; C071058:moesin; C071776:radixin