Aberrant connexin 43 and 26 expression in cervical dysplasia.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether connexin (Cx) expression is altered in cervical dysplasia.

STUDY DESIGN:

Cx proteins form gap junctions and are expressed in squamous epithelia including ectocervix. We used multispectral imaging to perform a quantitative immunohistochemical survey of Cx43 Cx26 in 37 archival human cervical specimens.

RESULTS:

Cx43 expression was very low in normal cervix (100%), but was increased in low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs) (64%), primarily in a parabasal distribution. High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) showed weak full-thickness Cx43 staining (53%) or lacked Cx43 (47%). An aberrant increase in Cx43 expression was often (62%) present in histologically normal areas of specimens that elsewhere harbored dysplasia. Cx26 was highly expressed in the basal layer of normal ectocervix (100%). In LSIL, 57% showed a decrease in Cx26 and the rest showed no change relative to the normal pattern. In HSIL, Cx26 was expressed in the full thickness of the epithelium, at a high level in 80% of cases and a low level in the rest.

CONCLUSION:

Cx alteration is moderately consistent in cervical dysplasia, and for Cx43 can precede histologic changes. The resulting changes in Cx signaling may be important in the pathogenesis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

• Authors: Ian S Hagemann, Theresa L Pasha, Shelley A Roberts, Sabrina W Yum, Paul J Zhang
• Journal: Analytical and quantitative cytology and histology (Anal Quant Cytol Histol) Vol. 34 Issue 1 Pg. 28-40 (Feb 2012) United States
• PMID: 22590817 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Connexin 43
• Connexins
• GJB2 protein, human
• Connexin 26

Topics

• Connexin 26
• Connexin 43 (biosynthesis, immunology)
• Connexins (biosynthesis, immunology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Uterine Cervical Dysplasia (metabolism, pathology)