Tumor protein D54: A promising marker of mucoepidermoid carcinoma

A definitive diagnosis of salivary gland tumors is extremely difficult to make without evaluating the entire tumor and conducting immunohistochemical examinations. In this study, we aimed to examine and compare the expression patterns of the tumor protein (TP) D52 family, including TPD52, TPD53, and TPD54, in salivary gland tumor cells by using immunohistochemical staining. Among over 30 benign and malignant salivary gland tumors with extensive and diverse morphological features and overlapping histological similarities, we selected Warthin’s tumor and pleomorphic adenoma to represent benign salivary gland tumors and mucoepidermoid carcinoma to represent malignant ones. Tumor samples were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. Then, immunohistochemical staining was performed using antibodies against TPD52, TPD53, and TPD54. Neither the benign salivary gland tumors nor mucoepidermoid carcinoma stained for TPD52. However, the intensity of TPD53 and TPD54 staining was found to be low in the benign salivary gland tumors and high in mucoepidermoid carcinoma. TPD54 may serve as a pathological indicator of benign salivary gland tumors and mucoepidermoid carcinoma.