Pericentriolar material analyses in normal esophageal mucosa, Barrett’s metaplasia and adenocarcinoma
Daniela Segat1, Mauro Cassaro2, Emanuela Dazzo1, Lucia Cavallini3, Chiara Romualdi1, Renato Salvador4, Maria Pia Vitale1, Libero Vitiello1, Matteo Fassan2, Massimo Rugge2, Giovanni Zaninotto4,5, Ermanno Ancona4,6, and Maurizio David Baroni1
1Proliferation Unit, Department of Biology, University of Padova, Italy, 2Department of Medical Diagnostic Sciences & Special Therapies, University of Padova, Italy, 3Department of Biochemistry, University of Padova, Italy, 4Department of Gastroenterological & Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy, 5Department of Surgery, Hospital of SS Giovanni e Paolo, Venezia, Italy and 6Department of Surgery, Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IRCSS Padova, Italy.
Offprint requests to: Maurizio D. Baroni, Ph.D., Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padua, Italy. e-mail: baronimd@bio.unipd.it
Summary. Barrett’s esophagus metaplasia is a pre-cancerous condition caused by chronic esophagitis. Chromosomal instability (CIN) is common in Barrett’s cells: therefore, we investigated the possible presence of centrosomal aberrations (a main cause of CIN) by centrosomal protein immunostaining in paraffined esophageal samples of patients who developed a Barrett’s adenocarcinoma. In most (55%) patients, alterations of the pericentriolar material (PCM) signals were evident and consistently marked the transition between normal epithelium to metaplasia. The alterations could even be found in adjacent native squamous epithelium, Barrett’s mucosa and submucosal gland cells, as well as in the basal/epibasal layers of the mucosa and submucosal gland duct, which are the regions hosting esophageal stem and progenitor cells. These findings strongly support the hypothesis that the three esophageal histotypes (one being pathological) can have a common progenitor. Surprisingly, PCM defective signal eventually decreased with neoplastic progression, possibly to enhance the genome stability of advanced cancer cells. Importantly, PCM altered signals in Barrett’s mucosa and their apparent evolution in successive histopathological steps were correlated to adenocarcinoma aggressiveness, suggesting PCM as a possible prognostic marker for tumor relapse. Extending our observations in a prospective study might help in the development of new prevention protocols for adenocarcinoma patients. Histol Histopathol 25, 551-560 (2010)
Key words: Barrett’s metaplasia, Esophageal adenocarcinoma, Centrosome, Pericentriolar proteins, Immunohistochemistry
DOI: 10.14670/HH-25.551