title: The immunophenotypic relationship between the submucosal gland unit, columnar metaplasia and squamous islands in the columnar-lined oesophagus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the immunophenotypic relationship between the squamous and the glandular compartments in the oesophagus of patients with columnar-lined oesophagus (CLO).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight tissue blocks from three oesophageal resection specimens from patients who underwent oesophagectomy for adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus were selected for immunohistochemical analysis. The markers of intestinal differentiation [CK20, CDX2 and MUC2] were all expressed in the expected pattern, solely in the glandular compartment of the resection specimens. CK4, CK17 and lysozyme were expressed in both the glandular and the squamous compartments. In addition, CK17 expression was found on both the squamous and glandular margins of the squamocolumnar transformation zones and in the submucosal gland (SMG) intraglandular and excretory ducts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an immunophenotypic relationship between the squamous and the glandular compartments of the CLO, with expression of lysozyme, CK4 and CK17 in both squamous and columnar cells. These overlapping immunophenotypes indicate similar differentiation paths, and link the SMG unit with the columnar metaplasia and the neosquamous islands in CLO. Our findings support the theory of a cellular origin of CLO and neosquamous islands from the SMG unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lörinc
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Blekinge Hospital, Karlskrona, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mellblom
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Helsingborg Hospital, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Öberg
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055262:Mucin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; C491270:CDX2 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C524625:MUC2 protein, human; D055262:Mucin-2; D007633:Keratins
keywords: Barrett's oesophagus; CK17; CK4; columnar-lined oesophagus; metaplasia; progenitor; submucosal gland