Stem cells participate in cervical carcinogenesis but their function and exact features are still not clear. One type of stem-like cells are endocervical reserve cells (RCs), and their association with other normal/altered cervical cells is not exactly known. Epithelial cells are attached to each other by tight junctions. Their dominant components are the claudin proteins, which show changed expression in cancer; however, no data are available on their pattern. Expressions of various claudins (1, 2, 3, 4, 7), occludin, cytokeratins 5/6 and 7, and p63 were analyzed in 60 paraffin-embedded cervical samples. Immunohistochemical reactions were evaluated semiquantitatively and statistically. Claudin 1 was as high in RCs as in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and higher than in suprabasal squamous epithelial cells, contrary to the negative glandular and squamous basal cells. Claudin 2 was positive in all cell types except parabasal cells, whereas claudins 4 and 7 were weakly positive and claudin 3 was negative in all cell types. Occludin was positive in RCs, basal/parabasal cells, and CIN, whereas glandular cells were negative. This is a first report that describes the intermediate claudin pattern of RCs, demonstrating that it differs from that of cervical glandular and squamous basal cells, but showing an expression similar to the strong claudin 1 expression detected in cervical neoplastic cells.
Keywords: claudin 1; reserve cells; tight junction.