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High Tumor Grade in Salivary Gland Mucoepidermoid Carcinomas and Loss of Expression of Transforming Growth Factor ß Receptor Type II
David G. Dillard, MD;
Susan Muller, DMD, MS;
Cynthia Cohen, MD;
Dov Bloch, MD;
John M. Del Gaudio, MD;
Anthony A. Gal, MD
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127:683-686.
Background Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) of salivary glands is a malignant, locally
aggressive neoplasm with metastatic potential. The clinical course is usually
dependent on histology; however, low-grade carcinomas can result in metastases
and tumor-related death. Transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1)
is a potent cytokine that affects growth inhibition of various cells and stimulates
extracellular matrix production and angiogenesis. Loss of TGF-ß receptor
type II (TGF-ß RII) expression has been related to resistance of TGF-ß1–mediated
growth control and tumor progression. In this study, we correlate MEC tumor
grade with expression of TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß RII.
Design Immunohistochemical staining was performed on 16 MEC specimens for activated
forms of TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß RII. The percentage of cells in which
staining yielded positive findings for activated TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß
RII was correlated with tumor grade.
Results Activated TGF-ß1 was detected in 16 specimens (100%) of MEC and
showed strong positive and diffuse staining. Predominately cytoplasmic staining
of TGF-ß1 was seen in salivary gland ducts, stroma, and endothelial cells.
There was an inverse correlation between tumor grade and loss of expression
of TGF-ß RII. All low-grade MEC tumors yielded positive staining results,
whereas only one case of intermediate-grade MEC had TGF-ß RII expression.
No high-grade MEC showed TGF-ß RII expression.
Conclusions Loss of expression of TGF-ß RII correlates with tumor grade. The
localization of activated TGF-ß1 within neoplastic epithelium, tumor-associated
stroma, and endothelium suggests that it might play a role in the stromal
proliferation and/or angiogenesis associated with MEC.
From the Departments of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
(Drs Dillard, Muller, and Del Gaudio) and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
(Drs Muller, Cohen, and Gal), and the School of Medicine (Dr Bloch), Emory
University, Atlanta, Ga.
Corresponding author: Anthony A. Gal, MD, Department of Pathology
and Laboratory Medicine, 1364 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322 (e-mail: agal{at}emory.edu).
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