title: Carcinosarcoma of the parotid: investigating its biology with morphoproteomics.
abstract: Carcinosarcoma of the parotid is a rare biphasic malignant neoplasm comprised of both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components representing approximately 0.4% of all malignant salivary gland neoplasms. We report a case of a 55-year-old Caucasian man who presented with a progressively enlarging left facial mass. Histopathological evaluation of the tumoral tissue revealed a high grade, mixed epithelial and mesenchymal malignant tumor, most consistent with a carcinosarcoma of the parotid. Morphoproteomic analysis was performed and revealed expression of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC); glioma-associated oncogen protein 2 (Gli2); and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (p-STAT3 [Tyr705]) in the carcinomatous and malignant mesenchymal components. These aforementioned markers have been linked to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in which epithelial cells lose their characteristics and phenotypically become mesenchymal cells. This finding allows us to further understand the biology of the 2 cellular components of the carcinosarcoma as having a monoclonal origin.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA anneliese.velezperez@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Anneliese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vélez-Pérez
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Richard S P
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Everett
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buryanek
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ron J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Karni
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Gli2; SPARC; carcinosarcoma; epithelial–mesenchymal transition; morphoproteomics; pSTAT3