Application of tissue microarray: Evaluation of the expression of S-100-positive dendritic cells, tumor suppressor gene p63 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in laryngeal carcinoma

Abstract

Objective—To evaluate the predictive role of S100-positive dendritic cells, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP1) and p63 gene in laryngeal carcinoma using a tissue chip.Material and Methods—The expression of dendritic cells, TIMP1 and p63 gene in a series of 85 primary laryngeal carcinoma patients who had undergone operations in our hospital between 1992 and 2000 was studied immunohistochemically using the streptavidin–biotin peroxidase-conjugated method.Results—Some cases were lost or showed no tumor tissue in the tissue chip. The rate of expression of dendritic cells was 59.5% and there were significant differences in expression between the differential degrees of laryngeal squamous carcinoma and the different clinical stages (p<0.05). The basal membrane and extracellular matrix of the specimens were strongly stained by TIMP1 in 55.7% of cases. There were statistically significant correlations between TIMP1 protein expression and early- and advanced-stage tumors, lymph node metastasis and 3-year survival rate (p<0.05). No statistically significant correlations were found between p63 protein expression and any of the clinical parameters.Conclusions—The tissue microarray technique used in this study is quick, inexpensive and very consistent. It is suggested that TIMP1 and S100 should be used as clinical discriminators of laryngeal carcinoma.