Effect of calcium and vitamin D on pleomorphic adenoma cells in vitro

Abstract

lized, immunoprecipitated, and sequentially immunoblotted using antibodies to mucin and transmembrane subunits. Results: MUC4 is identified by immunocytochemical staining throughout the normal UADT mucosa, in 24 of 29 primary UADT SCC, and in 6 of 6 metastatic cervical lymph nodes. A trend toward decreased staining of MUC4 in poorly differentiated tumors is suggested. Immunoblots show MUC4 in normal and tumor tissue in 3 of 4 SCCs analyzed, although electrophoretic migration patterns are similar between normal and tumor. Immunocytochemical staining of MUC4 in 11 major and minor salivary gland neoplasms reveals variable staining of normal and neoplastic tissue. MUC4 is consistently demonstrated in immunoblots of normal parotid tissue. Immunoblot with a carbohydrate-dependent antibody suggests carbohydrate differences in the MUC4 mucin subunit expressed in normal and neoplastic tissue from one parotid tumor. Conclusion: MUC4 is identified in SCCs of the UADT and neoplastic salivary tissue. Differential expression between normal and tumor MUC4 is demonstrated in some cases. Correlation of MUC4 expression with clinical outcomes may establish MUC4 as a potential molecular prognostic marker for these tumors.