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p63 PATOLOGIA MAMMARIA
p63 come marcatore delle cellule mioepiteliali
p63 è un ottimo marcatore delle cellule basali della ghiandola mammaria e trova utile applicazione nella identificazione di alterazioni associate alla trasformazione neoplastica (anche in citologia).
Am J Surg Pathol. 2001 Aug;25(8):1054-60. p63, a p53 homologue, is a selective nuclear marker of myoepithelial cells of the human breast. Barbareschi M, Pecciarini L, Cangi MG, Macri E, Rizzo A, Viale G, Doglioni C. Department of Pathology, San Martino Hospital, Trento, Italy. Myoepithelial cells (MCs) constitute the basal cell layer of normal mammary epithelia, and their identification is of particular diagnostic value because they are retained in most benign lesions while being lost in malignancy. Several MC immunocytochemical markers are currently available for diagnostic purposes, with special reference to smooth muscle-related antigens. p63 is a member of the p53 gene family, and its germline mutations are associated with severe mammary developmental defects in both rodents and humans. Different p63 isoforms have been identified, some of which (DeltaNp63) are preferentially expressed in the epithelial basal cells of different organs and have been considered as possible markers of stem cells/reserve cells. We investigated immunohistochemically 384 samples of normal and diseased human breast, including 300 invasive carcinomas, using four antibodies recognizing all p63 isoforms, or the DeltaNp63 isoforms. Twenty cytologic specimens were also investigated. Furthermore, snap-frozen tissue samples from three fibroadenomas and 10 invasive ductal carcinomas with their paired non-neoplastic tissues and three corresponding lymph node metastases were evaluated for the expression of p63 mRNA by RT-PCR. In normal breast tissue p63 immunoreactivity was confined to the nuclei of MCs. In all benign lesions p63-immunoreactive cells formed a continuous basal rim along the epithelial structures. Stromal cells, and in particular myofibroblasts, were consistently unreactive. Adenomyoepitheliomas showed nuclear staining in most neoplastic cells. A peripheral rim of p63-immunoreactive cells was retained surrounding lobular and ductal carcinoma in situ, although it was discontinuous as opposed to the normal structures. Invasive breast carcinomas were consistently devoid of nuclear p63 staining, with the exception of the two adenoid-cystic carcinomas, of the two ductal carcinomas with squamous metaplasia, and of 11 (4.6%) ductal carcinomas not otherwise specified, showing p63 immunoreactivity in a minor fraction (5-15%) of the neoplastic cells. In comparison with other MC markers, p63 was the most specific, being restricted exclusively to MCs, whereas antibodies to smooth muscle actin and, to a lesser extent, calponin also decorated stromal myofibroblasts. In the cytologic preparations p63 immunoreactivity was a consistent feature of "naked nuclei" and of a subset of cells surrounding benign epithelial clusters. RT-PCR experiments with primers specific for different p63 isoforms documented that normal tissues and fibroadenomas preferentially expressed the DeltaNp63 isoforms. Our study demonstrates that in normal and pathologic breast tissues MCs consistently express the DeltaNp63 isoforms. We suggest p63 as a reliable, highly specific, and sensitive MC marker in both histologic and cytologic preparations. Furthermore, because p63 immunoreactivity in adult epithelia is normally restricted to progenitor cells, it can be speculated that it might be a clue for the identification of the still elusive breast progenitor cells.
Am J Surg Pathol. 2003 Jan;27(1):82-90. Immunohistochemical distinction of invasive from noninvasive breast lesions: a comparative study of p63 versus calponin and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain. Werling RW, Hwang H, Yaziji H, Gown AM. PhenoPath Laboratories, Seattle, Washington, 98103, USA. Identification of myoepithelial cells using antibodies to cytoskeletal proteins, such as smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMM-HC) and calponin, can play an important role in distinguishing invasive carcinoma from its histologic mimics. However, antibodies to these proteins may also cross-react with stromal myofibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells. It has recently been demonstrated that myoepithelial cells express the nuclear protein, p63, a member of the p53 gene family. We compared the patterns of reactivity of antibodies with p63, calponin, and SMM-HC on 85 breast lesions, including 11 cases of sclerosing adenosis, 33 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ, including 10 that showed microinvasion, 6 cases of lobular carcinoma in situ, and 35 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. All three antibodies were positive on the vast majority of myoepithelial cells in all cases. A small minority of cases showed focal gaps in the revealed myoepithelial cell layer, reflected in discontinuous positive immunostaining around noninvasive epithelial nests (including ductal carcinoma in situ). No case showed p63 expression by myofibroblasts or vascular smooth muscle cells, whereas myofibroblasts expressed, in 8% and 76% of cases, SMM-HC and calponin, respectively. Although no tumor cell reactivity was noted with antibodies to calponin or SMM-HC, tumor cells in 11% of cases showed at least focal p63 expression. And although antibodies to p63 offer excellent sensitivity and increased specificity for myoepithelial detection relative to antibodies to calponin and SMM-HC, they have the following diagnostic limitations: 1) they occasionally demonstrate an apparently discontinuous myoepithelial layer, particularly around ductal carcinoma in situ, and 2) they react with a small but significant subset of breast carcinoma tumor cells. p63 may represent a myoepithelial marker that can complement or replace SMM-HC and/or calponin in the analysis of difficult breast lesions. Diagn Cytopathol. 2002 Sep;27(3):135-8. Naked nuclei revisited: p63 Immunoexpression. Reis-Filho JS, Albergaria A, Milanezi F, Amendoeira I, Schmitt FC. IPATIMUP - Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal. The presence of naked nuclei (NN) in cytological preparations of fibroadenomas is a well-known finding. Regardless of their importance on the differential diagnosis of fibroadenoma and other benign lesions of the breast, the origin of NN remains elusive. Despite previous efforts to characterize them, the lack of a reliable nuclear marker for myoepithelial cells impaired definitive conclusions. We performed a systematic evaluation of p63 expression in cytological and histological preparations of 10 fibroadenoma specimens. We observed that in histological sections, p63 was restricted to the nuclei of myoepithelial/basal cells in lobules and ducts of normal breast. In fibroadenomas, p63 decorated the nuclei of myoepithelial cells in the periphery of epithelial duct-like formations and slit-like formations. No p63 immunoreactivity was observed in stromal or epithelial cells. In cytological samples, almost all NN and cells surrounding epithelial cell clusters were stained; no stromal cell admixed with fibrillary matrix or epithelial cell was stained with p63. Based on our findings, we strongly suggest that most, if not all, NN are myoepithelial in origin. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
J Clin Pathol. 2002 Dec;55(12):936-9. p63 Staining of myoepithelial cells in breast fine needle aspirates: a study of its role in differentiating in situ from invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast. Reis-Filho JS, Milanezi F, Amendoeira I, Albergaria A, Schmitt FC. Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200 Porto, Portugal. AIMS: One of the limitations of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the breast is in distinguishing invasive carcinoma (IDC) from ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). It has been proposed that the presence of myoepithelial cells overlying epithelial malignant cell clusters suggests DCIS. However, the recognition of myoepithelial cells in aspirates may be difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate a new nuclear myoepithelial cell marker, p63, a p53 homologue nuclear transcription factor, in a series of breast FNABs in an attempt to distinguish IDC from DCIS. METHODS: Papanicolaou stained smears from eight cases of pure DCIS and 15 cases of pure IDC with a histologically confirmed diagnosis were submitted to immunocytochemical analysis using the antibody 4A4 against p63. Two pathologists evaluated the presence of p63 positive cells overlying malignant cell clusters and admixed with malignant cells. The frequency of p63 positive cells in DCIS and IDC was compared using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: p63 consistently stained the nuclei of myoepithelial cells, either overlying malignant cell clusters and/or admixed with malignant cells. p63 positive myoepithelial cells were seen in all DCIS cases and in nine of the 15 cases of IDC (p = 0.0375). In eight cases (three DCIS and five IDC), scattered p63+ epithelial malignant cells were seen. CONCLUSIONS: Although p63 positive myoepithelial cells are found more frequently in DCIS cases, their presence cannot be used as a criterion to rule out invasion in breast FNABs because they are present in up to 60% of invasive cases.
Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. 2003 Mar;11(1):1-8. Novel and classic myoepithelial/stem cell markers in metaplastic carcinomas of the breast. Reis-Filho JS, Milanezi F, Paredes J, Silva P, Pereira EM, Maeda SA, de Carvalho LV, Schmitt FC. Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology (IPATIMUP) University of Porto, R. Roberto Frias, S/N, 4200 Porto, Portugal. jreis@ipatimup.pt Metaplastic carcinomas of the breast (MCBs) are unusual neoplasms characterized by an admixture of glandular epithelial components, which frequently exhibit features of squamous differentiation, and mesenchymal malignant components. Regardless of the presence of myoepithelial features in MCB, no consensus concerning their putative histogenesis has yet been achieved. Recently, novel putative myoepithelial markers have been developed, including p63, maspin, and P-cadherin. We assessed the expression of these myoepithelial markers in MCBs and compared their expression with classic myoepithelial markers. Immunohistochemistry using the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique with antibodies raised against p63, maspin, P-cadherin, actin (clones CGA7, 1A4 and HHF35), cytokeratin 14 (Ck14), and vimentin was performed on 16 MCBs (7 matrix-producing MCBs, 6 adenosquamous MCBs, and 3 MCBs with heterologous elements). In healthy breast lobules and ducts adjacent to the tumors, myoepithelial cells showed distinctive and consistent immunoreactivity for p63, maspin, P-cadherin, actin, S-100 protein, and Ck14. Matrix-producing MCBs were positive for maspin in all cases, for p63 in 4 of 7 cases, and for P-cadherin in 4 of 7 cases. Adenosquamous MCB showed immunoreactivity for p63, maspin, and P-cadherin in 5 of 6 cases. All novel myoepithelial markers and Ck14 decorated squamous cell islands. MCBs with heterologous elements were positive for p63 in 1 case, for maspin in all 3 cases, and for P-cadherin in 2 cases. All cases showed at least one of the novel myoepithelial markers. Eleven of 16 cases were positive for actin. Eleven of 14 cases reacted with Ck14, and all cases that stained for S-100 protein (9 of 9) and vimentin (13 of 13) were also positive. Based on our findings, the balance of probabilities favors that MCBs may have a basal or myoepithelial cell histogenesis and differentiation.
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