Application of tissue microarray: Evaluation of the expression of S-100-positive dendritic cells, tumor suppressor gene p63 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in laryngeal carcinoma

Objective - To evaluate the predictive role of S100-positive dendritic cells, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP1) and p63 gene in laryngeal carcinoma using a tissue chip. Material and Methods - The expression of dendritic cells, TIMP1 and p63 gene in a series of 85 primary laryngeal carcinoma patients who had undergone operations in our hospital between 1992 and 2000 was studied immunohistochemically using the streptavidin - biotin peroxidase-conjugated method. Results - Some cases were lost or showed no tumor tissue in the tissue chip. The rate of expression of dendritic cells was 59.5% and there were significant differences in expression between the differential degrees of laryngeal squamous carcinoma and the different clinical stages (p< 0.05). The basal membrane and extracellular matrix of the specimens were strongly stained by TIMP1 in 55.7% of cases. There were statistically significant correlations between TIMP1 protein expression and early- and advanced-stage tumors, lymph node metastasis and 3-year survival rate (p< 0.05). No statistically significant correlations were found between p63 protein expression and any of the clinical parameters. Conclusions - The tissue microarray technique used in this study is quick, inexpensive and very consistent. It is suggested that TIMP1 and S100 should be used as clinical discriminators of laryngeal carcinoma.