Diagnostic value of HBME-1, CD56, Galectin-3 and Cytokeratin-19 in papillary thyroid carcinomas and thyroid tumors of uncertain malignant potential.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate four immunohistochemical markers (HBME-1, Galectin-3, Cytokeratin-19 and CD56) used alone or in panels in a series of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and thyroid tumors of uncertain malignant potential (TT-UMP) cases.


METHODS
We performed an immunohistochemical analysis on a tissue micro-array of 11 PTCs [six classic (CPTC), five follicular variant (FVPTC)] and 31 TTs-UMP. A control group of 11 benign thyroid lesions/tumors was also included.


RESULTS
CD56, whose expression is reduced or absent in thyroid carcinomas, was the most sensitive marker (81.8%), showing a "malignant" profile in 5/6 CPTCs and 4/5 FVPTCs. It was followed by HBME-1 (63.6% sensitivity). Cytokeratin-19 and Galectin-3 were the least sensitive antibodies (45.6%), but the most specific ones (100%). Three panels consisting of CD56 and/or Cytokeratin-19/Galectin-3 and HBME-1 and/or CD56 reached the highest sensitivity (90.9%) and the highest negative predicting value (87.5 and 83.3, respectively). In TTs-UMP, Cytokeratin-19, Galectin-3, HBME-1 and CD56 stained negatively in most of the cases (90.3%, 83.9%, 87.1% and 61%, respectively) and no statistically significant differences compared to the benign thyroid lesions' immunoprofile could be observed.


CONCLUSIONS
New panels of antibodies, consisting of CD56 and/or Cytokeratin-19/Galectin-3 and CD56 and/or HBME-1 that were found to be highly sensitive for PTC in our study, are reported. Applying these panels to TTs-UMP seems also useful. Our results showed that these tumors have an immunoprofile similar to the benign thyroid lesions, suggesting that they are most likely to have a benign rather than a malignant biological behavior.
Department of Histology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tirgu Mures, Romania; andradaloghin@yahoo.com.
Adela
A
Nechifor-Boilă
Ramona
R
Cătană
Andrada
A
Loghin
Tatiana Georgiana
TG
Radu
Angela
A
Borda
D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001798:Blood Proteins; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D037161:Galectins; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001798:Blood Proteins; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D037502:Galectin 3; D037161:Galectins; D053539:Keratin-19; C432845:HBME-1 antigen; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C428445:LGALS3 protein, human; C522918:NCAM1 protein, human