Evaluation of Glypican-3 expression in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors

Abstract

Introduction: Glypican-3 (GPC3) is involved in regulation of cell proliferation and morphogenesis. It is abundant in embryonic tissue, but limited in most adult tissues. GPC3 deletion or mutation can disturb the balance between cell apoptosis and proliferation, which may result in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to investigate the GPC3 expression in salivary gland tumors (SGTs) and the adjacent non-neoplastic tissues. Methods: This study reviewed 50 samples of salivary tumors from the archive of Khalili Hospital, Shiraz, Iran, including 17 cases of pleomorphic adenoma (PA), 16 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), and 17 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC); as well as a control group of 23 cases of normal salivary gland tissues. GPC3 expression was investigated through immunohistochemistry. Results: GPC3 expression was significantly higher in malignant tumors (MEC and ACC) than in PA, and higher in PA than in the normal salivary glands (P < 0.001). The expression intensity was moderate to strong in malignant tumors and weak to moderate in benign tumors. No strong positivity was observed in normal salivary gland tissues (P < 0.001). Nor was any association detected between the GPC3 expression and intensity with the clinicopathologic parameters. Conclusion: Although GPC3 overexpression was observed at the protein level in SGTs, and its expression was not related with the clinicopathologic factors, the potential use of GPC3 for diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic purposes requires further investigations.

BRCA1/2 mutations in salivary pleomorphic adenoma and carcinoma-ex-pleomorphic adenoma

“…All positive staining were evaluated using a semi-quantitative scoring system for the percentage of positively stained cancer cells as follows: occasional staining but <10% were considered negative, 10%–40% were considered mild, 40%–70% were scored moderate, and >70% were considered intense staining. [ 17 ]…”

“…Previous studies have shown that the patients with BRCA1/2 mutation carriers are excellent cases for therapies, such as the poly (ADP) ribose polymerase inhibitor. [ 17 ] IHC is a low-cost and efficient method;[ 39 ] therefore, it can serve as a screening test for detection of BRCA1/2 dysfunction in salivary gland tumor. The knowledge of the spectrum of mutations can provide more efficient protocol for screening and therapeutic strategy.…”

Expression of MTA1 in endometriosis and its relationship to the recurrence

“…Endometriosis, like a malignant tumor, is invasive and capable of forming blood vessels at the distal end, thus leading to endometriosis or even metastasis to the lungs and nasal cavity. [15,16] MTA1 is highly expressed in many malignant tumors, especially epithelial-derived endometrial cancer, [14] breast cancer, [17] gastrointestinal cancer, [18] prostate cancer, [19] salivary gland carcinoma, [20] and other malignancies.…”

Salivary Glands Tumors: A Clinicopathological Study about the Incidence and Distribution of Salivary Glands Tumors among a Syrian Population

“…SGTs consist of a spectrum of tumors with different biological behaviors and diverse clinical pathophysiology. The most common SGT is pleomorphic adenoma and the most common malignant SGTs are MEC (mucoepidermoid carcinoma) and ACC (adenoid cystic carcinoma) [1][2][3][4][5].…”