| Abstract |
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (cylindroma) and pleomorphic adenoma are
neoplasms derived from the intercalar duct of salivary glands. We studied
differentiation patterns of adenoid cystic carcinoma and pleomorphic
adenoma, by comparing cell cultures from these two neoplasms. The first
differentiation parameter assessed was the presence of cytoskeletal
proteins. Immunofluorescence showed that pleomorphic adenoma cells (AP2)
showed only vimentin, while cylindroma cells (CAC2) expressed vimentin,
muscle-specific actin and the cytokeratins 8, 14, 18 and 19. This
preliminary result suggested that CAC2 cells would be more differentiated
than AP2 cells. To further investigate this result, and by knowing that
basement membrane proteins induce citodifferentiation, we cultured both
cell lines on the top of a reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel). In
these conditions, AP2 cells were not able to differentiate into ductiform
structures, while CAC2 cells morpho and cytodifferentiated into authentic
ductiform structures, as demonstrated by fluorescence confocal microscopy.
Knowing that AP2 cells originate ductiform structures only when grown
inside a three-dimensional environment of Matrigel, we may infer that CAC2
need a less complex induction to form the same structure, Thus, we suggest
that cylindroma cells are derived from intercalar duct cells in a more
advanced stage of differentiation than the cells that originate
pleomorphic adenoma.
|
|---|
