title: Transgelin, a Novel Marker of Smooth Muscle Differentiation, Effectively Distinguishes Endometrial Stromal Tumors from Uterine Smooth Muscle Tumors.
abstract: Differentiation between endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESSs) and smooth muscle tumors of the uterus can be challenging. Transgelin, a 22 kDa actin-binding protein has recently been shown to be a smooth muscle specific marker. The goal of this study was to determine whether transgelin could accurately distinguish ESSs from smooth muscle tumors. The expression of transgelin, CD10 and smooth muscle actin (SMA) in 13 ESSs (4 low grade, 6 undifferentiated and 3 metastatic), 9 smooth muscle tumors (1 leiomyoma and 8 leiomyosarcomas (LMSs) and 15 soft tissue LMSs was studied. The diagnostic performance of transgelin compared to the other smooth muscle markers was assessed. Transgelin was diffusely strongly positive in all myometria, leiomyoma, and uterine and soft tissue LMSs. In contrast, transgelin expression was totally absent in all endometria, primary and metastatic ESSs. SMA positivity was noticed in 4 of the 13 ESSs. CD10 was positive in most ESSs. Transgelin appears to be a specific marker of smooth muscle differentiation in the uterus with 100% sensitivity and specificity and may be useful for distinguishing LMS from ESS. It could be used as an additional marker useful for decision making, especially in those tumors with questionable histology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160 USA.
authors.forename: Ossama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tawfik
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160 USA.
authors.forename: Deepthi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160 USA.
authors.forename: Warren B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Nothnick
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160 USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160 USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mau
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, the University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66160 USA.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fan
keywords: Transgelin; endometrial stromal sarcoma; leiomyosarcoma