Analysis of Expression of p63 in Cervical Neoplasia Comparing with Other Immunohistochemical Markers

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The reproducibility in grading a cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) are not perfect. The aim of this study was to assess the value of the immunohistochemical expression of p63 and the other biomarkers for grading a CIN (dysplasia and in situ carcinoma), and diagnosing invasive carcinomas. METHODS: Sixty six cervical specimens were immunostained with the monoclonal antibodies against p63, Ki-67, p27Kip1, and p53 to determine the localization. RESULTS: The p63 positive cells are well linked with squamous cell maturation and the degree of dysplasia. In mild dysplasia, the p63 positive cells were localized to the basal and parabasal cells, which gradually extended into the middle and upper layers in moderate and severe dysplasia. p63 expression was strong in immature squamous epithelium and invasive squamous cells, but was constantly absent in an adenocarcinoma. The Ki-67 positive cells were scattered from the parabasal cells to the superficial cells in accordance with the degree of dysplasia. p27Kip1 expression was noted in the intermediate cells in the normal cervix. In CIN, the p27Kip1 positive nuclei tended to extend to the basal cells, but it showed no diagnostic consistency in an invasive carcinoma. p53 expression was also variable. CONCLUSION: p63 is a useful diagnostic adjunct for grading CIN as well as for detecting microinvasion and squamous differentiation in invasive carcinoma. However, immunohistochemical expressions for the p27Kip1 and p53 have no correlation with the grade of CIN and squamous cell carcinoma.