Immunohistochemical demonstration of carcinoembryonic antigen and related antigens in some cutaneous diseases

ABSTRACT

Carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA] which has long been believed to be expressed only in the sweat gland and its neoplasms in the skin, is expressed more commonly in normal. Inflammatory and neoplastic skin conditions than previously thought. But, the detail of expression is still little known. To investigate the expression of CEA and CEA related antigens [CEA family] in some cutaneous diseases, we performed immunohistochemical study to detect the antigens in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded biopsy specimens of verruca vulgaris, squamous cell carcinoma [SCC], basal cell carcinoma [BCC], psoriasis vulgaris and eczema using a polyclonal antibody against human CEA family. Expression of CEA family was demonstrated in verruca vulgaris, SCC, psoriasis vulgaris and chronic eczema. No detectable expression was seen in BCC, acute and subacute eczema. All expressions were limited to the keratinocytes in the upper epidermal cell layers. An additional expression was seen in regions of parakeratosis, acanthosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and at the centre of tumour islands in SCC. On the basis of the distribution of this expression, an additional role for CEA family is suggested differing from its roles as tumour markers and adhesion molecules. This role may be associated with the state of differentiation or epidermal keratinocytes; particularly of those which have gained hyperproliferative activity due to inflammatory and neoplastic aetiologies