Cytokeratin Expressions in Normal Nasal Mucosa, Nasal Polyps, Inverted Papilloma, and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tissues

Lee, Chul Hee; Min, Yang Gi; Kim, Kwang Hyun; Noh, Kwan Taek; Kim, Jin Young; Kim, Chong Sun; Lee, Kang Soo; Rhee, Chae Seo; Seo, Sang Jin; Kang, Jae Koo; Lee, Sung Ok

Abstract

All epithelial cells express more than 2 cytokeratins, and their tissue distribution is determined by cellular types, location, and degree of differentiation. It is known that changes in cytokeratin expression accompany squamous metaplasia of the human nasal epithelium. We analysed cytokeratin expression patterns and their significance in normal nasal mucosae, nasal polyps, inverted papillomas, and maxillary squamous cell carcinomas using immunohistochemical staining with anti-CK4, CK8, CK10, CK13, CK17, CK18, and CK19. Nasal polyp showed the same pattern of cytokeratin expression as that of nasal mucosa. While CK10 expression was present only in the tissue of squamous cell carcinoma, CK18 and CK19 were not expressed. Specimens of Inverted papilloma expressed CK4 and CK13 only in the suprabasal layer, and CK17 in the basal and suprabasal layers. In contrast, normal epithelium expressed CK13 and CK17 only in the basal layer, and CK4 in the basal and suprabasal layers. CK8 and CK18 were less expressed in the specimen of inverted papilloma than in the normal nasal mucosa. The expression patterns of CK10 and CK19 suggest that they may play a role in determinating the malignant change of inverted papilloma and in investigating the pathogenesis of inverted papilloma and maxillary cancer.