Cathepsin E expression by normal and premalignant cervical epithelium

• Published in: The American journal of pathology Vol. 150; no. 4; pp. 1223 - 1229
• Main Authors: Mota, F, Kanan, JH, Rayment, N, Mould, T, Singer, A, Chain, BM
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD ASIP 01-04-1997; American Society for Investigative Pathology
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cathepsin E; Cathepsins - biosynthesis; Cervix Uteri - enzymology; Cervix Uteri - immunology; Cervix Uteri - pathology; Child; Child, Preschool; Epithelium - enzymology; Epithelium - immunology; Epithelium - pathology; Female; Female genital diseases; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; HLA-DR Antigens - biosynthesis; Humans; Infant; Medical sciences; Palatine Tonsil; Papillomaviridae; Papillomavirus Infections - enzymology; Papillomavirus Infections - immunology; Papillomavirus Infections - pathology; Precancerous Conditions - enzymology; Precancerous Conditions - immunology; Precancerous Conditions - pathology; Tumor Virus Infections - enzymology; Tumor Virus Infections - immunology; Tumor Virus Infections - pathology; Tumors; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - enzymology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - immunology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology; Histological grading; Immunohistochemistry; Pathogenesis; In situ; HLA-DR-System; Major histocompatibility system; Papovaviridae; Hybridization; Papillomavirus; Human papillomavirus 16; Human papillomavirus; Cervical dysplasia; Aspartic endopeptidases; Human; Premalignant lesion; Enzyme; Cathepsin E; Female genital diseases; Virus; Polymerase chain reaction; Pathology; Peptidases; Hydrolases; Molecular biology; Intraepithelial neoplasia; Uterine cervix diseases
• ISSN: 0002-9440; 1525-2191

We have investigated the expression of the aspartic proteinase cathepsin E and HLA-DR and the presence of HPV16 in normal squamous epithelium (n = 8) and low-grade (n = 21) and high-grade (n = 14) intraepithelial squamous lesions of the uterine cervix. Immunohistochemistry of cervical biopsies revealed that up-regulation of cathepsin E expression was related to increasing severity of the cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Up-regulation of protein was associated with increased message as assessed by in situ hybridization. Langerhans cells and the majority of koilocytes did not express detectable cathepsin E levels. Although there was also an up-regulation of HLA-DR expression by cervical keratinocytes in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions, as determined by immunohistochemistry, no significant correlation was found between HLA-DR and cathepsin E expression in these lesions; neither was expression of cathepsin E correlated to the presence of HPV16, detected by polymerase chain reaction. The expression of cathepsin E, an aspartic proteinase that is reported to play a role in antigen processing for presentation by class II major histocompatibility complex molecules, is associated with cellular dedifferentiation in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.