Georgia Karpathiou1, Vanessa Da Cruz2, Francois Casteillo2, Mousa Mobarki2, Jean Marc Dumollard2, Celine Chauleur3, Fabien Forest2, Jean Michel Prades4, Michel Peoc'h2. 1. Department of Pathology, North Hospital, University Hospital of St-Etienne, France. Electronic address: gakarpath@yahoo.gr. 2. Department of Pathology, North Hospital, University Hospital of St-Etienne, France. 3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, North Hospital, University Hospital of St-Etienne, France. 4. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, North Hospital, University Hospital of St-Etienne, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: FOXA1 is a major transcription factor involved in the action of human papilloma virus (HPV). However, it has been never studied in HPV-associated tumors. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate its expression in cervical and head and neck tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 63 cervical carcinomas/dysplasias and 152 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) were immunohistochemically studied for the expression of FOXA1. RESULTS: 63.1% of cervical SCC and 40.7% of endocervical adenocarcinomas strongly expressed FOXA1. Most (90%) pre-invasive lesions (CIN3 and in situ adenocarcinomas) strongly expressed FOXA1 and this difference from invasive lesions was statistically significant (p=0.005). No association with clinicopathological factors was found. 51.3% of HNSCC expressed FOXA1. In these tumors, FOXA1 expression was associated with the non-keratinizing morphology but not with the HPV/p16 status neither other clinicopathological features. Of normal structures, salivary glands, endocervical glands and basal/parabasal cell layer of squamous epithelium of both uterine cervix and head and neck mucosa, all strongly expressed FOXA1. CONCLUSION: FOXA1 is expressed by basal cells of squamous epithelium, pre-invasion lesions of the uterine cervix and the head/neck and almost half invasive cervical and head/neck carcinomas, supporting its possible implication in HPV pathogenesis.
BACKGROUND:FOXA1 is a major transcription factor involved in the action of human papilloma virus (HPV). However, it has been never studied in HPV-associated tumors. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate its expression in cervical and head and neck tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 63 cervical carcinomas/dysplasias and 152 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) were immunohistochemically studied for the expression of FOXA1. RESULTS: 63.1% of cervical SCC and 40.7% of endocervical adenocarcinomas strongly expressed FOXA1. Most (90%) pre-invasive lesions (CIN3 and in situ adenocarcinomas) strongly expressed FOXA1 and this difference from invasive lesions was statistically significant (p=0.005). No association with clinicopathological factors was found. 51.3% of HNSCC expressed FOXA1. In these tumors, FOXA1 expression was associated with the non-keratinizing morphology but not with the HPV/p16 status neither other clinicopathological features. Of normal structures, salivary glands, endocervical glands and basal/parabasal cell layer of squamous epithelium of both uterine cervix and head and neck mucosa, all strongly expressed FOXA1. CONCLUSION:FOXA1 is expressed by basal cells of squamous epithelium, pre-invasion lesions of the uterine cervix and the head/neck and almost half invasive cervical and head/neck carcinomas, supporting its possible implication in HPV pathogenesis.