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Comparative Study
. 2017 Dec:70:62-69.
doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2017.10.010. Epub 2017 Oct 24.

T-complex-associated-testis-expressed 3 (TCTE3) is a novel marker for pancreatobiliary carcinomas

Chaohui Lisa Zhao  1 , Yiang Hui  1 , Li Juan Wang  1 , Kara Lombardo  1 , Dongfang Yang  1 , Shamlal Mangray  1 , Evgeny Yakirevich  1 , Ali Amin  1 , Chiung-Kuei Huang  2 , Shaolei Lu  3
Affiliations
Comparative Study

T-complex-associated-testis-expressed 3 (TCTE3) is a novel marker for pancreatobiliary carcinomas

Chaohui Lisa Zhao et al. Hum Pathol. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

Several markers of pancreatobiliary lineage have been described in the literature. However, none have demonstrated sufficient specificity and sensitivity to warrant diagnostic use. We evaluated the utility of T-complex-associated-testis-expressed 3 (TCTE3) as a pancreatobiliary marker. A set of 247 adenocarcinomas from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was identified including 18 from the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), 29 stomach, 17 ampullary, 62 pancreatic, and 16 common bile duct and gallbladder (CBD/GB), 13 non-ampullary small intestine, 32 colon, and 24 rectum. The remainder consisted of 16 cholangiocarcinomas and 20 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Additionally, 163 adenocarcinomas from the breast, gynecologic tract, prostate, urothelium, kidney, and lung were stained for comparison. Immunohistochemistry for TCTE3 and other gastrointestinal markers was performed. Positive expression of TCTE3 was characterized by a strong, well-defined membranous pattern with or without weak cytoplasmic staining. Expression was identified in the normal epithelial cells of pancreatobiliary tree, but staining was absent in normal epithelial cells of esophagus, stomach, and intestine. Hepatocytes, pancreatic acini and islets and other non-epithelial cells were also negative for staining. TCTE3 was expressed in 93.5% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, 37.5% of CBD/GB adenocarcinomas, 50% of cholangiocarcinomas, 76.4% of ampullary adenocarcinomas, and 33.3% of GEJ adenocarcinomas. Only 3.5% of the gastric, 7.7% of non-ampullary small intestinal and 6.25% of colonic tumors exhibited positive staining. Expression was absent in rectal carcinomas and HCCs. These results suggest that TCTE3 is a useful marker of pancreatobiliary differentiation and may aid in distinguishing these tumors from gastric and intestinal primary tumors.

Keywords: Diagnostic marker; Pancreatobiliary adenocarcinoma; TCTE3.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure/Duality of Interest

The authors do not have potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
TCTE3 expression in testis (600×). Strong stain can be seen in the tails of spermatozoa and in the cytoplasm of spermatids where cytoskeletal components of axoneme are made.
Figure 2
Figure 2
TCTE3 expression in GI tract (400×). A. Pancreatic ductules. B. Pancreatic interlobular duct. C. Common pancreatic duct. D. Gall bladder. E. Liver portal triad with ductular reaction. F. Stomach. G. Small intestine. H. Colon.
Figure 3
Figure 3
TCTE3 expression in GI tract adenocarcinoma (400×). A. Pancreatic ductal carcinoma. B. Gall bladder carcinoma. C. Cholangiocarcinoma. D. Gastric adenocarcinoma. E. Hepatocellular carcinoma. F. Small bowel adenocarcinoma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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