Actinic Keratosis

New carcinoma research reported from Kumamoto University

Actinic Keratosis Library Library Home This article was published in Clinical Oncology Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"This study investigated the expression and significance of SnoN protein in normal human skin and in the development of seborrheic keratosis (SK), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin. Six frozen sections of normal human skin, three of SK ( acanthotic type), six of BCC, six of intraepidermal SCC (actinic keratosis, AK), and six each of poorly and well-differentiated SCC were immunohistochemically stained with a polyclonal antibody against SnoN. In normal epidermis, strong positive staining was observed in the suprabasal layers, whereas the basal cell layer was entirely unstained. Expression was observed in tumor cells with a squamoid phenotype in SK, but not in BCC. In intraepidermal SCC, although a strong signal was seen in the well-differentiated keratinocytes of the superficial epidermal cell layers, no signal was seen in the poorly differentiated atypical cells situated in the lower epidermis. In invasive SCC, a few scattered cells were positive for SnoN in the well-differentiated sample, but much larger numbers of positive cells were observed in the poorly differentiated sample," wrote X.Y. Zhang and colleagues, Kumamoto University.

The researchers concluded: "On the basis of our results, it is suggested that SnoN is involved in differentiation in normal skin and benign and nonmetastatic skin tumors, but plays a proto-oncogenic role in undifferentiated SCC."

Zhang and colleagues published their study in International Journal of Dermatology (The expression of SnoN in normal human skin and cutaneous keratinous neoplasms. International Journal of Dermatology, 2009;48(6):579-583).

For additional information, contact H. Ihn, Kumamoto University, Graduate School of Medicine & Pharmaceutical Science, Dept. of Dermatology & Plast & Reconstruct Surgery, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 8608556, Japan.

Publisher contact information for the International Journal of Dermatology is: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc., Commerce Place, 350 Main St., Malden 02148, MA, USA.

Keywords: Japan, Honjo, Actinic Keratosis, Basal Cell Cancer, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Dermatology, Immunology, Neoplasms, Oncology, Polyclonal Antibodies, Seborrheic Keratosis, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Kumamoto University.

This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.