Podoplanin Expression in Basal and Myoepithelial Cells

Abstract

Podoplanin, D2-40, is often used for highlighting lymphatics. However, it has been described in a variety of normal and neoplastic tissues. We evaluated the expression of D2-40 in breast, salivary gland, skin, and mucosa, all organs rich in myoepithelial cells and basal cells. This study assessed the utility of using D2-40 to highlight basal/myoepithelial cells and to identify potential pitfalls in misinterpretation of lymphatic invasion. Our results showed that myoepithelial cells in breast and salivary gland and basal cells in prostate consistently demonstrate D2-40 immunoreactivity, but typically less intensely than lymphatics. Cutaneous and mucosal-based basal cells also have D2-40 expression, but often in a patchy, focal manner. In addition, many salivary gland tumors and squamous cell carcinomas had strong D2-40 expression, sometimes making distinction of lymphatics versus tumor edge staining difficult. D2-40 is excellent for assessing lymphatic invasion in breast, prostate, and cervix as long as the pathologist is aware of the expression in myoepithelial cells/basal cells to avoid misinterpretation of ductal carcinoma in situ or normal prostate glands or tumor stroma retraction as tumor lymphatic invasion. Given the patchy positivity in basal cells of skin and mucosa and the reactivity in squamous cell carcinoma, D2-40 was not helpful in assessing for microinvasion of squamous cell carcinoma.

Lymphangiogenesis assessed using three methods is related to tumour grade, breast cancer subtype and expression of basal marker

“…Moreover, expression of this marker was noted in myoepithelial cells and in stromal cancer-associated fibroblasts, what is in accordance with other authors studies [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Selected vessels were double-stained with CD34 and podoplanin.…”

“…Among known markers of lymphatic vessel endothelium, podoplanin seems to be the most promising [2]. It allows for assessment of microvessel density and demonstration of lymphovascular invasion [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. However, there is no standardized method recommended for assessment of lymphangiogenesis [1].…”

Expression of D2-40 in Benign and Malignant Breast Lesions and Study the Correlation between Lymphovascular Density and other Prognostic Factors of Breast Cancer

“…Also, it has occasionally been reported to stain MEC of salivary gland and breast [39,40]. D2-40 antibody is known as a very sensitive and specific marker for lymphatic endothelium in most tissues, especially breast cancer.…”

Lymphangiogenesis and Inflammation—Looking for the “Missing Pieces” of the Puzzle

“…Although, its expression is not restricted to endothelial cells from lymphatic vascular network, highlighting the basal cells of the normal stratified epithelia, Schwann cells, and myofibroblasts (Kanner et al 2010) and also various tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (Neri et al 2015;Raica et al 2008), podoplanin remains a marker with high specificity for lymphatic endothelial cells.…”