Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 may be involved in the development of mammary phyllodes tumors
Journal
Virchows Archiv
Journal Volume
462
Journal Issue
2
Pages
155-161
Date Issued
2013
Author(s)
Abstract
Phyllodes tumors (PTs) are characterized by co-proliferation of the stroma and epithelium, with the stroma being the neoplastic element. Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) is a deubiquitinating enzyme that was originally considered to be a neuronal-specific marker, but later reports have shown both tumorigenic and antitumorigenic roles for UCHL1. Although a role for UCHL1 has been explored in many cancers, a study on PTs has never been reported. We assessed UCHL1 expression in 49 cases of PTs and 16 fibroadenomas using immunohistochemistry and examined associations with clinicopathological features. In normal breast, strong staining for UCHL1 was consistently observed in the nerve bundles, if present, in breast stroma. Scattered stromal cells showed negative to weak staining. The ductal and lobular units, in contrast, showed no staining. In contrast to the 16 fibroadenomas, of which only 3 showed mild staining, UCHL1 expression was consistently observed in all 49 PTs. There was a significantly increasing trend of UCHL1 expression with increasing PT grade (P < 0.001); strong staining was observed in 24 % of benign PTs, but was present in 56 and 90 % of borderline and malignant PTs, respectively. Consistently, UCHL1 was focally positive in regions of benign to borderline malignancy, but strongly and diffusely immunoreactive in regions of malignancy in cases of malignant PTs. In addition to PT grade, UCHL1 expression correlated with increasing stromal atypia (P = 0.01), but not with other clinicopathological parameters. In conclusion, the consistent expression of UCHL1 in PTs and an increasing trend of UCHL1 expression with an increasing PT grade suggest a role for UCHL1 in the pathogenesis and malignant progression of PTs. ? 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
SDGs
Other Subjects
hydrolase; ubiquitin carboxy terminal hydrolase L1; unclassified drug; tumor marker; Ubiquitin carboxyl Terminal Hydrolase L 1, human; Ubiquitin carboxyl-Terminal Hydrolase L-1, human; ubiquitin thiolesterase; article; breast fibroadenoma; correlation analysis; cystosarcoma phylloides; human; human tissue; immunohistochemistry; major clinical study; metastasis; priority journal; protein expression; protein function; stroma cell; tumor growth; tumor volume; breast; breast tumor; cancer grading; comparative study; disease course; female; fibroadenoma; metabolism; pathology; Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Disease Progression; Female; Fibroadenoma; Humans; Neoplasm Grading; Phyllodes Tumor; Tumor Markers, Biological; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
Type
journal article