TY - JOUR
T1 - Is the carbohydrate sialosyl-Tn a marker for altered, non-malignant activity in squamous epithelium in the head and neck region?
AU - Bryne, M
AU - Gravdahl, C
AU - Koppang, H S
AU - Kjaerheim, A
AU - Dabelsteen, Erik
PY - 1995/2
Y1 - 1995/2
N2 - Cell surface carbohydrates are involved in many cell functions such as cellular differentiation, adhesion, and invasion. A carbohydrate, sialosyl-Tn (STn), is expressed in many human carcinomas but generally not in normal epithelia. In the oral mucosa, however, STn has recently been observed on basal cells in some lesions with epithelial hyperplasia and dysplasia. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic investigation of STn expression on epithelial basal cells in hyperplastic, 'borderline' malignant, and malignant head and neck lesions, to see if the expression of STn is associated specifically with hyperplastic conditions. Using the primary monoclonal antibody TKH2, normal controls did not reveal STn. STn was detected on probably post-mitotic basal cells in hyperplastic head and neck lesions and on basal cells adjacent to cancers, but not within the carcinomas. A Ki67 antibody reacted with basal cells in other locations. The most highly differentiated lesions, such as focal epithelial hyperplasia and verrucous hyperplasia, revealed a high percentage (86 per cent in both cases) of STn reactivity. The least-differentiated verrucous carcinomas (VCs) and keratoacanthomas (KAs) did not express STn, in contrast to the highly differentiated VCs and KAs. These findings indicate that STn-negative cases may have a greater malignant potential that the STn-positive cases. In conclusion, STn expressed on basal cells is possibly a marker for non-malignant conditions with altered basal cell activity and for highly differentiated verrucous carcinomas.
AB - Cell surface carbohydrates are involved in many cell functions such as cellular differentiation, adhesion, and invasion. A carbohydrate, sialosyl-Tn (STn), is expressed in many human carcinomas but generally not in normal epithelia. In the oral mucosa, however, STn has recently been observed on basal cells in some lesions with epithelial hyperplasia and dysplasia. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic investigation of STn expression on epithelial basal cells in hyperplastic, 'borderline' malignant, and malignant head and neck lesions, to see if the expression of STn is associated specifically with hyperplastic conditions. Using the primary monoclonal antibody TKH2, normal controls did not reveal STn. STn was detected on probably post-mitotic basal cells in hyperplastic head and neck lesions and on basal cells adjacent to cancers, but not within the carcinomas. A Ki67 antibody reacted with basal cells in other locations. The most highly differentiated lesions, such as focal epithelial hyperplasia and verrucous hyperplasia, revealed a high percentage (86 per cent in both cases) of STn reactivity. The least-differentiated verrucous carcinomas (VCs) and keratoacanthomas (KAs) did not express STn, in contrast to the highly differentiated VCs and KAs. These findings indicate that STn-negative cases may have a greater malignant potential that the STn-positive cases. In conclusion, STn expressed on basal cells is possibly a marker for non-malignant conditions with altered basal cell activity and for highly differentiated verrucous carcinomas.
KW - Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate
KW - Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
KW - Carcinoma, Verrucous
KW - Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
KW - Head and Neck Neoplasms
KW - Humans
KW - Hyperplasia
KW - Immunoenzyme Techniques
KW - Keratoacanthoma
KW - Mouth Mucosa
KW - Precancerous Conditions
KW - Tumor Markers, Biological
U2 - 10.1002/path.1711750212
DO - 10.1002/path.1711750212
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 7738720
SN - 0022-3417
VL - 175
SP - 237
EP - 242
JO - Journal of Pathology
JF - Journal of Pathology
IS - 2
ER -
