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Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p16 and p27, demonstrate different expression patterns in thymoma and thymic carcinoma

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Abstract

Objectives

The role of cell cycle inhibitors in tumorigenesis has been proven in various neoplasms; however, their roles in thymic tumors are still unclear. We examined the expression of cell cycle inhibitors such as those of the Cip/Kip family (p21, p27, and p57) and the INK-4/ARF family (p16 and p14) in thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

Methods

Samples from 41 thymoma and 14 thymic carcinoma patients, and 34 normal thymic tissue samples were prepared for the study. Immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies to p21, p27, p57, p16, and p14 was carried out, and the positivity for these inhibitors in each group was estimated in terms of their subcellular location and percentage of cells showing positive staining.

Results

Nuclear p27 showed a stepwise decrease (p < 0.0001), and the cytoplasmic p27 showed a stepwise increase (p < 0.0001) in expression level with the increase in malignancy. p16 in both the nucleus and cytoplasm showed a stepwise increase (p < 0.0001) in expression level with the increase in malignancy. However, as for p21, p57, and p14, there was almost no nuclear or cytoplasmic expression in each group.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that low nuclear and high cytoplasmic p27 expression levels, and high nuclear and cytoplasmic p16 expression levels may correlate with the increase in thymic malignancy.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, 35-1 Chigasaki-chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama, 224-8503, Japan

    Mutsuko Omatsu, Toshiaki Kunimura, Tetsuya Mikogami & Akira Shiokawa

  2. Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Japan

    Atsuko Masunaga

  3. Department of Clinico-diagnostic Pathology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Tomoko Nagai

  4. Respiratory Disease Center, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama, Japan

    Akihiko Kitami & Takashi Suzuki

  5. Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Mitsutaka Kadokura

Authors
  1. Mutsuko Omatsu
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  2. Toshiaki Kunimura
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  4. Akira Shiokawa
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  8. Takashi Suzuki
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Correspondence to Mutsuko Omatsu.

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Omatsu, M., Kunimura, T., Mikogami, T. et al. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p16 and p27, demonstrate different expression patterns in thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 62, 678–684 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-014-0437-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-014-0437-3

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