IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL STUDY ON PROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITIES AND EXPRESSION OF c-erbB-2 ONCOPROTEIN IN SALIVARY GLAND TUMORS

Abstract

The proliferative activity of tumors and the expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein were investigated in 86 salivary neoplasms (54 pleomorphic adenomas and 32 malignant tumors), and in 17 normal salivary glands. Numbers of cells that stained positive to anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibody and the nucleolar organizer region associated protein (AgNOR) were used as an index of the proliferative activity. The results obtained in this study were as follows: 1) PCNA-positive and AgNOR-positive cells were elevated in malignant tumors relative to pleomorphic adenomas and normal salivary glands. 2) Salivary gland tissue around the pleomorphic adenoma with high proliferative activity demonstrated higher activity than normal gland tissue. 3) The proliferation of pleomorphic adenoma was not affected by the age or size of the tumors. 4) Expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was not observed in pleomorphic adenoma and normal gland but was observed in malignant tumors. 5) In one case of a carcinoma in pleomorphic adenoma, the pleomorphic adenoma region also revealed c-erbB-2 positive cells.