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Tenascin expression in actinic keratosis
Author(s) -
Lentini Maria,
Schepis Carmelo,
Cuppari Domenica Anna,
Batolo Dario
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2006.00554.x
Subject(s) - tenascin , pathology , actinic keratosis , immunostaining , dysplasia , immunohistochemistry , stage (stratigraphy) , medicine , epithelial dysplasia , keratosis , extracellular matrix , biology , paleontology , fibronectin , basal cell , microbiology and biotechnology
Background: Tenascin is an extracellular matrix protein frequently expressed around neoplastic and non‐neoplastic lesions of the skin. Actinic keratoses (AKs) are intraepidermal neoplastic lesions of the sun‐exposed skin. They are classified according to the extension of dysplasia in four stages; they also present different histological varieties. Methods: We performed an immunohistochemical study using tenascin monoclonal antibody diluted 1 : 50 on 150 cases of AKs classified, respectively, in histotypes (38 hypertrophic, 18 atrophic, 21 bowenoid, 19 acantolytic, and 40 mixed) and in stages (27 stage I, 46 stage II, 42 stage III, and 35 stage IV; 14 in tumoral progression). Results: Tenascin positivity was observed in all cases at the dermal level close to the epithelial lesion. The intensity of reaction increased from stage I to stage IV and, of course, also in tumoral progression. Its expression was not related to the histotypes. In very few cases, the atypical keratinocytes were positive. Conclusions: Tenascin expression in AKs is related to the stages of dysplasia. In fact, the immunostaining intensity corresponds to the degree of the dysplasia rather than the thickness of the involved epidermis. Tenascin plays a role in neoplastic progression working as an anti‐adhesive factor.