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MOC-31/Ep-CAM immunoreactivity in Merkel cells and Merkel cell carcinomas. 2003

T García-Caballero, and E Pintos, and R Gallego, and C Parrado, and M Blanco, and V Bjornhagen, and J Forteza, and A Beiras
Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. cm-tgc@usc.es

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the monoclonal antibody MOC-31 in Merkel cell carcinomas and normal Merkel cells. Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive tumour that occurs mainly in elderly individuals. The histological diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma can be difficult because it looks similar to other small blue cell tumours, particularly skin metastases of small-cell lung carcinomas. This antibody recognizes the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM), that has been assigned to the small cell lung cancer cluster 2 of antibodies. To the best of our knowledge, immunostaining for MOC-31/Ep-CAM has not been previously described in Merkel cells or Merkel cell carcinomas. RESULTS Thirty-one cases of Merkel cell carcinoma and three samples of normal human fingertip were selected to analyse the expression of MOC-31/Ep-CAM by immunohistochemistry. A high number of Merkel cell carcinomas (21/31, 67.7%) showed intense and readily interpretable positivity. Immunostaining was diffuse or focal and always localized to the plasma membrane. Normal Merkel cells of human fingertip also showed plasma membrane immunoreactivity for MOC-31/Ep-CAM. CONCLUSIONS The demonstration of positivity for MOC-31/Ep-CAM in Merkel cell carcinomas precludes the use of this immunohistochemical marker to distinguish between tumours and skin metastases of small-cell lung carcinoma.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007150 Immunohistochemistry Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents. Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000071858 Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule A cell adhesion molecule that is expressed on the membranes of nearly all EPITHELIAL CELLS, especially at the junctions between intestinal epithelial cells and intraepithelial LYMPHOCYTES. It also is expressed on the surface of ADENOCARCINOMA and epithelial tumor cells. It may function in the MUCOSA through homophilic interactions to provide a barrier against infection. It also regulates the proliferation and differentiation of EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS. Antigen, CD326,CD326 Protein,ESA Antigen,Ep-CAM,EpCAM,Epithelial Specific Antigen,GA 733 Tumor-Associated Antigen,GA733 Antigen,GA733 Tumor-Associated Antigen,Tacstd1 Protein,Tumor-Associated Antigen GA733,Antigen, ESA,Antigen, Epithelial Specific,Antigen, GA733,CD326 Antigen,GA 733 Tumor Associated Antigen,GA733 Tumor Associated Antigen,GA733, Tumor-Associated Antigen,Tumor Associated Antigen GA733,Tumor-Associated Antigen, GA733
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old

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