Roessle, Matthias, Cathomas, Gieri, Bonapace, Laura, Sachs, Melanie, Dehler, Silvia, Storz, Martina, Huber, Gerhard, Moch, Holger, Junt, Tobias and Mertz, Kirsten D. (2016) Interleukin-33 expression indicates a favorable prognosis in malignant salivary gland tumors. Int J Surg Pathol.

Abstract

The cytokine Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is abundantly expressed in epithelial barrier tissues. It is released after cell damage and supports the induction of immune responses. Here we characterized IL-33 protein expression by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays of benign (n = 65) and malignant (n = 153) salivary gland tumors and normal salivary gland tissues (n = 28) and associated it with disease outcome. We found nuclear IL-33 expression in normal salivary gland tissues, mainly in ductal myoepithelial cells. Most benign salivary gland tumors expressed IL-33, and all Warthin’s tumors showed strong and consistent IL-33 expression in the basally oriented cells of their bilayered epithelium. In the malignant group of neoplasms, however, nuclear IL-33 expression was limited to specific tumor entities, e.g. to epithelial-myopepithelial carcinomas (n = 9/11), acinic cell carcinomas (n = 13/27), oncocytic carcinomas (n = 2/2), and one cystadenocarcinoma. IL-33 expression in the combined group of malignant salivary gland neoplasms was significantly associated with favorable histologic parameters, lack of metastasis and longer overall survival, compared to IL-33 negative tumors. We conclude that IL-33 expression is a novel prognostic marker for malignant salivary gland tumors with potential use in clinical diagnostics.

Item Type:	Article
Date Deposited:	26 Apr 2016 23:45
Last Modified:	26 Apr 2016 23:45
URI:	https://oak.novartis.com/id/eprint/26841