Diagnostic value of differential expression of CK19, Galectin-3, HBME-1, ERK, RET, and p16 in benign and malignant follicular-derived lesions of the thyroid: an immunohistochemical tissue microarray analysis

• Published in: Endocrine pathology Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 225 - 234
• Main Authors: Barroeta, J E, Baloch, Z W, Lal, P, Pasha, T L, Zhang, P J, LiVolsi, V A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 2006
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - diagnosis; Adenocarcinoma, Follicular - metabolism; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Biomarkers, Tumor - biosynthesis; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 - biosynthesis; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases - biosynthesis; Galectin 3 - biosynthesis; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Medical diagnosis; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret - biosynthesis; Thyroid Neoplasms - diagnosis; Thyroid Neoplasms - metabolism; Tissue Array Analysis
• ISSN: 1046-3976; 1046-3976; 1559-0097
• DOI: 10.1385/EP:17:3:225

Several immunohistochemical markers have been used to aid in the diagnosis of follicular-derived lesions of the thyroid (FDLT). In this study we analyze the diagnostic efficacy of an immunopanel of antibodies to cytokeratin-19 (CK19), galectin-3 (GAL-3), HBME-1, anti-MAP kinase (ERK), ret-oncoprotein (RET), and p16 using a tissue microarray consisting of both benign and malignant FDLT.
The study cohort consisted of 90 cases of FDLT (53 benign, 37 malignant) embedded in a microarray and immunostained with antibodies to CK19, Gal-3, HMBE-1, ERK, RET, and p16. Staining was scored as positive when >25% of the lesional cells showed positive immunostaining.
HMBE-1 was expressed in 70% of malignant and 10% of benign FDLT (p value: <0.0001). CK19 and GAL-3 were positive in 70% and 73% of malignant lesions, respectively, and 34% of benign FDLT (p value 0.0005 and 0.0015, respectively). ERK was positive in 4% of the benign and 32% of the malignant cases (p value 0.0002). p16 was expressed in 2% and 46% of the benign and malignant lesions, respectively (p value 0.0001). RET positivity was identified in 15% of the benign lesions and 27% of the malignant cases (p value 0.0016).
HBME-1, ERK, and p16 were more specific for malignancy, whereas CK19 and GAL-3 stained benign lesions with a higher frequency and were not specific for malignant FDLT. RET-oncoprotein showed poor sensitivity and specificity.