Cytokeratins and the evaluation of tumor differentiation in squamous lesions of the uterine cervix.

Abstract

The differential expression of cytokeratins in epithelial or squamous cells has been demonstrated to be altered during the process of carcinogenesis. This altered expression of cytokeratins (CKs) may be closely related with epithelial differentiation and may remain stable in malignant tumors. In the present study an analysis using two monoclonal antibodies, CK 8.12 antibody specific for CK type 13 and 16 and CK 8.60 antibody specific for CK type 1, 10 and 11 was done in different grades of lesions in the uterine cervix. Changes from the normal expression pattern were seen in high grade Squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) (CIN-2/3) and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). No conspicuous difference in the staining expression between normal/benign cervical tissue and low grade SIL (CIN-I) was evident. Statistical analysis also revealed a significant correlation between the expression of these CK types to the differentiation status of the cervical lesions analyzed. Alterations in the expression of these CKs can be correlated to the differentiation pathway which may be deregulated during cervical carcinogenesis. The findings of the present study suggest that the expression of CK types 13 and 16 and 1, 10 and 11 using CK 8.12 and CK 8.60 antibodies respectively may serve as markers of differentiation in cervical squamous neoplasms.