Immunoreactive Metallothionein in Salivary Gland Neoplasms.

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  • Shrestha Prashanta
    Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Asahi University School of Dentistry
  • Takagi Hisashi
    Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Asahi University School of Dentistry
  • Takai Yoshiaki
    Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Asahi University School of Dentistry
  • Suzuki Keiji
    School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, College of Medical Care and Technology, Gunma University
  • Mori Masahiko
    Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Asahi University School of Dentistry

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Abstract

Metallothionein (MT), a low molecular weight intracellular protein present in cytoplasm and nucleus, possesses a selective binding affinity for zinc, copper and other group II heavy metal ions which may have a potential role to bind, sequester or detoxify these metal ions and alter the treatment response to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The present study describes expression of MT in normal salivary glands and neoplastic salivary lesions using immunohistochemical method. Immunoreactive MT in normal salivary glands was observed in ductal cells where the immunostaining was most prominent in ductal basal cells of excretory and striated ducts and intercalated duct cells. Expression of MT was also observed in various salivary tumors; pleomorphic adenoma had immunoreactive MT in fibrillar and plasmacytoid neoplastic myoepithelial cells and chondroid cells whereas Warthin's tumor, monomorphic adenoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma had non-luminal or basally located tumor cells intensely reactive. Acinic cell carcinoma cells were weakly reactive, however, papillary cystadenocarcinoma had a mixed population of cells with majority of the tumor cells moderately, and few cells strongly reactive. The profile of distribution of MT in salivary gland tumors was similar to that for S100 proteins suggesting their coexpression. The result of the present study suggests that MT is expressed in normal salivary glands. In various salivary gland tumors, in spite of histopathological heterogeneity, differentiation, binding potential and sequestration or detoxification of toxic metal ions by MT may confer a heterogeneous biological behavior. They also respond to the therapeutic modality of radiation and chemotherapy.

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