title: Uterine leiomyosarcoma with osteoclast-like giant cells associated with high expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand.
abstract: The occurrence of osteoclast-like giant cells (OLGCs) in uterine leiomyosarcomas (LMSs) is a rare phenomenon. The nature of OLGCs and the significance of their accumulation in these tumors are poorly understood. Recent studies revealed that the formation of osteoclasts requires a specific cytokine, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), in bone. In this study, we investigated the expression of RANKL in 2 cases of uterine LMS with OLGCs by means of immunohistochemistry and compared the extent of RANKL expression with that in conventional uterine LMSs and leiomyomas by using real-time reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our cases of uterine LMS with OLGCs showed markedly high expression of RANKL messenger RNA with clear RANKL immunoreactivity compared with messenger RNA expression and immunoreactivity of conventional uterine LMSs and leiomyomas. These findings suggest that the tumors producing RANKL may account for accumulation of OLGCs in tumor tissue because of RANKL-related osteoclastogenesis.
authors: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan. Electronic address: mterasaki@nms.ac.jp.
authors: Mika
authors: M
authors: Terasaki
authors: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Yasuhiro
authors: Y
authors: Terasaki
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Yoneyama
authors: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Kuwahara
authors: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Kyoko
authors: K
authors: Wakamatsu
authors: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Kiyotaka
authors: K
authors: Nagahama
authors: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Shinobu
authors: S
authors: Kunugi
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Toshiyuki
authors: T
authors: Takeshita
authors: Department of Analytic Human Pathology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B
keywords: Immunohistochemistry; Leiomyoma; Leiomyosarcoma; Osteoclast-like giant cells; RANKL; Receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand; Uterus