title: Estrogen receptor β in Merkel cell carcinoma: its possible roles in pathogenesis.
abstract: Sex steroids have been postulated to influence skin development and functions as well as its pathogenesis. MCC occurs in both sexes; however, the specific differences in pathogenesis among sexes have yet to be conclusively defined. The detailed status of sex steroid receptors (AR, PRA and PRB, and ERα, ERβ) are also unknown in MCC patients. We first immunolocalized sex steroid receptors and compared the results with immunolocalization of relevant transcription factors including SOX2, FOXA1, and Bcl-2 and Ki-67 in 18 cases of MCCs. AR, PRA, PRB, ERα, ERβ, Bcl-2, SOX2, and FOXA1 immunoreactivity was evaluated by using the modified H score method, and Ki-67 was quantified using labeling index. ERβ immunoreactivity was markedly present in all the cases of MCC examined, with relatively weak immunoreactivity of ERα, AR, PRA, and PRB. The status of ERβ immunoreactivity was also significantly correlated with Ki-67 labeling index and Bcl-2 score. These results demonstrated that ERβ could be associated with regulation of both cell proliferation and apoptosis in MCCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan; Faculty of Health Sciences, University Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azmahani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan; Division of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai 981-8558, Japan. Electronic address: yasu-naka@patholo2.med.tohoku.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan; Division of Advanced Surgical Science and Technology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Keely M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8574, Japan.
authors.forename: Setsuya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: C000595707:BCL2 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000600034:ESR2 protein, human; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: ERβ; Immunohistochemistry; Merkel cell carcinoma; Sex steroid receptor; Transcription factor