TY - JOUR
T1 - β-Catenin mutations in pulmonary blastomas
T2 - Association with morule formation
AU - Sekine, Shigeki
AU - Shibata, Tatsuhiro
AU - Matsuno, Yoshihiro
AU - Maeshima, Arafumi
AU - Ishii, Genichiro
AU - Sakamoto, Michiie
AU - Hirohashi, Setsuo
PY - 2003/6/1
Y1 - 2003/6/1
N2 - To elucidate the contribution of β-catenin gene mutation to the development of pulmonary blastomas, we analysed mutations in three well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinomas (WDFAs) and six biphasic pulmonary blastomas (BPBs). For comparison, eight clear-cell adenocarcinomas with fetal lung features were also examined. β-Catenin gene mutations were found in all three WDFAs, two BPBs, and none of the clear-cell adenocarcinomas with fetal lung features. All tumours with mutations had a common histological feature, namely morule formation, and showed a characteristic heterogeneous β-catenin expression pattern that was revealed by immunohistochemistry. Strong nuclear/cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin was seen in clustered cells in the morular areas and in single cells in glands, and was associated with neuroendocrine differentiation. As β-catenin mutations are rare among lung tumours, this distinctive genetic feature, which is also immunohistochemically detectable as overexpression with a heterogeneous pattern, has diagnostic significance. The presence of this common genetic alteration found in both WDFA and BPB implies a histogenetic linkage between these tumours.
AB - To elucidate the contribution of β-catenin gene mutation to the development of pulmonary blastomas, we analysed mutations in three well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinomas (WDFAs) and six biphasic pulmonary blastomas (BPBs). For comparison, eight clear-cell adenocarcinomas with fetal lung features were also examined. β-Catenin gene mutations were found in all three WDFAs, two BPBs, and none of the clear-cell adenocarcinomas with fetal lung features. All tumours with mutations had a common histological feature, namely morule formation, and showed a characteristic heterogeneous β-catenin expression pattern that was revealed by immunohistochemistry. Strong nuclear/cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin was seen in clustered cells in the morular areas and in single cells in glands, and was associated with neuroendocrine differentiation. As β-catenin mutations are rare among lung tumours, this distinctive genetic feature, which is also immunohistochemically detectable as overexpression with a heterogeneous pattern, has diagnostic significance. The presence of this common genetic alteration found in both WDFA and BPB implies a histogenetic linkage between these tumours.
KW - Morule
KW - Neuroendocrine cells
KW - Pulmonary blastoma
KW - Well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma
KW - β-catenin
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U2 - 10.1002/path.1352
DO - 10.1002/path.1352
M3 - Article
C2 - 12754743
AN - SCOPUS:0038545852
VL - 200
SP - 214
EP - 221
JO - Investigative and Cell Pathology
JF - Investigative and Cell Pathology
SN - 0022-3417
IS - 2
ER -