Xiaoli Zhu1, Yanli Luo2, Qianming Bai1, Yongming Lu1, Yiqiong Lu1, Lijing Wu1, Xiaoyan Zhou3. 1. Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. 2. Department of Pathology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Affiliated No. 6th People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China. 3. Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. Electronic address: 13524324387@163.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical value of immunohistochemistry (IHC) using anti-BRAF V600E antibody (clone VE1) for specific detection of the BRAF V600E mutant protein in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) specimens. METHODS: A total of 118 PTC cases and 116 control cases processed between January 2008 and June 2010 were selected and created tissue microarrays (TMAs) for the study. BRAF V600E (VE1) IHC was performed on tissue sections from PTC cases to determine mutation status. Molecular tests (Sanger sequencing/ARMS) were used to confirm the BRAF V600E gene mutation in primary PTC. RESULTS: A uniformly cytoplasmic staining throughout the tumors was observed in IHC-positive cases. BRAF V600E was detected in 68.6% (81/118) of PTC samples by IHC and in 61.9% (73/118) by Sanger sequencing/ARMS. The overall concordance between IHC and Sanger sequencing/ARMS was 93.2% (110/118). The sensitivity and specificity of the BRAF V600E IHC was 100% (73/73) and 82.2% (37/45), respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 90.1% (73/81) and 100% (37/37), respectively. Expression of the BRAF V600E mutant protein was detected in all of 59 cases of primary carcinoma and corresponding metastatic carcinoma in lymph nodes. The concordance between IHC staining in primary and metastatic PTC was 100% (59/59). CONCLUSION: IHC using VE1 antibody for detection of the BRAF V600E mutant protein expression in PTC showed high sensitivity and acceptable specificity, which are critical for diagnostic purposes. IHC staining for BRAF V600E showed uniformly cytoplasmic expression in both primary tumor and metastatic nodes. Therefore, IHC has high practical value for the detection of the BRAF V600E mutation in metastatic and primary PTC.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical value of immunohistochemistry (IHC) using anti-BRAFV600E antibody (clone VE1) for specific detection of the BRAFV600E mutant protein in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) specimens. METHODS: A total of 118 PTC cases and 116 control cases processed between January 2008 and June 2010 were selected and created tissue microarrays (TMAs) for the study. BRAFV600E (VE1) IHC was performed on tissue sections from PTC cases to determine mutation status. Molecular tests (Sanger sequencing/ARMS) were used to confirm the BRAFV600E gene mutation in primary PTC. RESULTS: A uniformly cytoplasmic staining throughout the tumors was observed in IHC-positive cases. BRAFV600E was detected in 68.6% (81/118) of PTC samples by IHC and in 61.9% (73/118) by Sanger sequencing/ARMS. The overall concordance between IHC and Sanger sequencing/ARMS was 93.2% (110/118). The sensitivity and specificity of the BRAFV600E IHC was 100% (73/73) and 82.2% (37/45), respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 90.1% (73/81) and 100% (37/37), respectively. Expression of the BRAFV600E mutant protein was detected in all of 59 cases of primary carcinoma and corresponding metastatic carcinoma in lymph nodes. The concordance between IHC staining in primary and metastatic PTC was 100% (59/59). CONCLUSION: IHC using VE1 antibody for detection of the BRAFV600E mutant protein expression in PTC showed high sensitivity and acceptable specificity, which are critical for diagnostic purposes. IHC staining for BRAFV600E showed uniformly cytoplasmic expression in both primary tumor and metastatic nodes. Therefore, IHC has high practical value for the detection of the BRAFV600E mutation in metastatic and primary PTC.