title: Achaete-scute homolog 1 expression closely correlates with endocrine phenotype and degree of differentiation in sinonasal neuroendocrine tumors.
abstract: Primary sinonasal tumors with neuroendocrine differentiation (STNDs) are uncommon, with overlapping histology. According to the amount of neuroendocrine component, they can be subcategorized into esthesioneuroblastoma, high-grade sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma/small cell carcinoma, and sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma. Achaete-scute homolog 1 (ASH1) is a master gene for neuroendocrine differentiation and is expressed in fetal and adult neuroendocrine tissues. Expression of ASH1 protein may be a useful marker for cancers with neuroendocrine features. The aim of this study was to compare and assess the value of ASH1 protein expression/levels in STND. We reviewed the morphological features and performed immunohistochemical analyses for ASH1 in 30 samples of surgically resected cancers with neuroendocrine differentiation from our institution. Achaete-scute homolog 1 was found to be expressed in STND, indicating that it is instrumental in the development of a subset of neurons and neuroendocrine cells and plays a key role in regulating neuroendocrine differentiation in tumor cells. Achaete-scute homolog 1 levels were associated with the degree of STND tumor differentiation (high-grade tumors show increased expression of this protein), correlating well with studies indicating that expression of ASH1 appears to be restricted to immature cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Taggart
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ehab Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gidley
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Randal S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: diana.bell@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D018304:Esthesioneuroblastoma, Olfactory / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C065500:ASCL1 protein, human
keywords: Achaete-scute homolog 1; Biomarker; Sinonasal tumors with neuroendocrine differentiation