Laminin receptor 1 expression in premalignant and malignant squamous lesions of the cervix

ABSTRACT

Laminin receptor 1 (LAMR) may have a role in the progression of premalignant squamous epithelial lesions to cervical cancer. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the expression of laminin receptor 1 (LAMR) in normal, premalignant, and malignant tissues of the uterine cervix. Paraffin blocks of 129 specimens with the diagnoses of normal cervical tissue (n = 33), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 (n = 30), CIN 2 (n = 14), CIN 3 (n = 28), and squamous cell carcinoma (n = 24) were immunohistochemically stained with LAMR antibody and its expression percentage, pattern, and intensity in these tissues were assessed. Compared to the other groups, the nonstaining with LAMR was highest in low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) (p < 0.0001). LAMR expression, which was positive in less than 50% of cells with weak staining, increased significantly between normal cervical epithelium and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or invasive carcinoma, as well as between LSIL and HSIL (p < 0.0001). Between LSIL and invasive carcinoma, a significant increment was also observed for weak staining in less than 50% of cells (p < 0.001). LAMR expression, which was positive in more than 50% of cells with strong staining, was significantly higher in normal cervical tissue compared to the other groups (p < 0.0001). Disease progression related gradual increment of LAMR expression from normal cervical epithelium or LSIL towards HSIL or cervical cancer reveals that LAMR may play an important role in the transition from premalignant to malignant state in cervical lesions.

KEYWORDS:

• Cervix uteri
• high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion
• immunohistochemistry
• laminin receptor 1
• low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion
• squamous cell carcinoma

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the pathology laboratory assistants Elif Dilekçi and Saadet Yıldız for their important technical contributions during the study. We would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Hanım Güler Şahin for her general support.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.