Abstract
PAX2 and PAX8 are transcription factors involved in embryogenesis that have been utilized as immunohistochemical indicators of tumor origin. Specifically, PAX2 is a marker of neoplasms of renal and müllerian origin, while PAX8 is expressed by renal, müllerian, and thyroid tumors. While studies examining these transcription factors in a variety of tumors have been published, data regarding their expression in salivary gland neoplasms are limited. The goal of this study was to assess expression of PAX2 and PAX8 in a large cohort of salivary gland tumors. Utilizing tissue microarrays, samples of normal salivary glands (n = 68) and benign and malignant salivary gland neoplasms (n = 442) were evaluated for nuclear immunoreactivity with PAX2 and PAX8. No expression was observed with either marker in the normal salivary glands, and PAX8 was negative in all neoplasms. Focal expression of PAX2 was observed in one example each of oncocytoma and acinic cell carcinoma. These results indicate that evaluation of PAX2 and/or PAX8 expression would be valuable in differentiating primary salivary gland tumors from metastases known to express PAX2 and/or PAX8.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chi N, Epstein JA. Getting your Pax straight: Pax proteins in development and disease. Trends Genet. 2002;18:41–7.
Laury AR, Perets R, Piao H, et al. A comprehensive analysis of PAX8 expression in human epithelial tumors. Am J Surg Pathol. 2011;35:816–26.
Ozcan A, Shen SS, Hamilton C, et al. PAX 8 expression in non-neoplastic tissues, primary tumors, and metastatic tumors: a comprehensive immunohistochemical study. Mod Pathol. 2011;24:751–64.
Tacha D, Zhou D, Cheng L. Expression of PAX8 in normal and neoplastic tissues: a comprehensive immunohistochemical study. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. 2011;19:293–9.
Hu Y, Hartmann A, Stoehr C, et al. PAX8 is expressed in the majority of renal epithelial neoplasms: an immunohistochemical study of 223 cases using a mouse monoclonal antibody. J Clin Pathol. 2012;65:254–6.
Tong G, Yu WM, Beaubier NT, et al. Expression of PAX8 in normal and neoplastic renal tissues: an immunohistochemical study. Mod Pathol. 2009;22:1218–27.
Ozcan A, de la Roza G, Ro JY, Shen SS, Truong LD. PAX2 and PAX8 expression in primary and metastatic renal tumors: a comprehensive comparison. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2012;136:1541–51.
Ozcan A, Liles N, Coffey D, Shen SS, Truong LD. PAX2 and PAX8 expression in primary and metastatic müllerian epithelial tumors: a comprehensive comparison. Am J Surg Pathol. 2011;35:1837–47.
Zhai QJ, Ozcan A, Hamilton C, et al. PAX-2 expression in non-neoplastic, primary neoplastic, and metastatic neoplastic tissue: a comprehensive immunohistochemical study. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. 2010;18:323–32.
Ozcan A, Zhai J, Hamilton C, et al. PAX-2 in the diagnosis of primary renal tumors: immunohistochemical comparison with renal cell carcinoma marker antigen and kidney-specific cadherin. Am J Clin Pathol. 2009;131:393–404.
Daniel L, Lechevallier E, Giorgi R, et al. Pax-2 expression in adult renal tumors. Hum Pathol. 2001;32:282–7.
Ordóñez NG. Value of PAX 8 immunostaining in tumor diagnosis: a review and update. Adv Anat Pathol. 2012;19:140–51.
Weissferdt A, Moran CA. Pax8 expression in thymic epithelial neoplasms: an immunohistochemical analysis. Am J Surg Pathol. 2011;35:1305–10.
Sangoi AR, Cassarino DS. PAX-8 expression in primary and metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical analysis. Am J Dermatopath. 2013;35:448–51.
Tong G, Memeo L, Colarossi C, et al. PAX8 and PAX2 immunostaining facilitates the diagnosis of primary epithelial neoplasms of the male genital tract. Am J Surg Pathol. 2011;35:1473–83.
Moretti L, Medeiros LJ, Kunkalla K, Williams MD, Singh RR, Vega F. N-terminal PAX8 polyclonal antibody shows cross-reactivity with N-terminal region of PAX5 and is responsible for reports of PAX8 positivity in malignant lymphomas. Mod Pathol. 2012;25:231–6.
Lorenzo PI, Moreno CMJ, Delgado I. Immunohistochemical assessment of Pax8 expression during pancreatic islet development and in human neuroendocrine tumors. Histochem Cell Biol. 2011;136:595–607.
Seifert G, Hennings K, Caselitz J. Metastatic tumors to the parotid and submandibular glands: analysis and differential diagnosis of 108 cases. Pathol Res Pract. 1986;181:684–92.
Pritchyk KM, Schiff BA, Newkirk KA, Krowiak E, Deeb ZE. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the head and neck. Laryngoscope. 2002;112:1598–602.
McHugh JB, Hoschar AP, Dvorakova M, Parwani AV, Barnes EL, Seethala RR. p63 immunohistochemistry differentiates salivary gland oncocytoma and oncocytic carcinoma from metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Head Neck Pathol. 2007;1:123–31.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Butler, R.T., Alderman, M.A., Thompson, L.D.R. et al. Evaluation of PAX2 and PAX8 Expression in Salivary Gland Neoplasms. Head and Neck Pathol 9, 47–50 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-014-0546-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-014-0546-4