title: Difference in distribution profiles between CD163+ tumor-associated macrophages and S100+ dendritic cells in thymic epithelial tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In a number of human malignancies, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are closely involved in tumor progression. On the other hand, dendritic cells (DCs) that infiltrate tumor tissues are involved in tumor suppression. However, there have been very few reports on the distribution profiles of TAMs and DCs in thymic epithelial tumors. We examined the difference in the distribution profiles between TAMs and DCs in thymoma and thymic carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 69 samples of surgically resected thymic epithelial tumors, namely, 16 thymic carcinomas and 53 thymomas, in which we immunohistochemically evaluated the presence of TAMs using CD68 and CD163 as markers and DCs using S100 as the marker in tumor tissue samples in comparison with normal thymic tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of samples with a large number of CD68+ TAMs was not significantly different between thymic carcinoma and thymoma (7/16 versus 16/53, p = 0.904). However, the percentage of sample with a large number of CD163+ TAMs was significantly higher in thymic carcinoma than in thymoma (15/16 versus 34/53, p = 0.024). In contrast, the percentage of samples with a large number of S100+ DCs was significantly lower in thymic carcinoma than in thymoma (2/16 versus 23/53, p = 0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to show a high percentage of CD163+ TAMs and a low percentage of S100+ DCs in thymic carcinoma samples, and our findings may provide an idea for future targeted therapeutic strategies for thymic carcinoma using antibodies that inhibit monocyte differentiation to TAMs, thereby skewing TAMs differentiation toward DCs.
  The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/13000_2014_215.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, 224-8503, Japan. m.omatsu@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Mutsuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, 224-8503, Japan. kunimura@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, 224-8503, Japan. mikogami1971@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mikogami
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, 224-8503, Japan. shiokawa@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shiokawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. tomo@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. nonkoamesho0324@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masunaga
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. akitami@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kitami
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama, Japan. suzuki.t@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. kadokura@med.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Mitsutaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadokura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000601:surgery; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000601:surgery; D000098902:CD163 Antigen
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D000098902:CD163 Antigen; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D009418:S100 Proteins