Evaluation of NKX2-2 expression in round cell sarcomas and other tumors with EWSR1 rearrangement: imperfect specificity for Ewing sarcoma

Mod Pathol. 2016 Apr;29(4):370-80. doi: 10.1038/modpathol.2016.31. Epub 2016 Feb 5.

Abstract

Ewing sarcoma shows considerable histologic overlap with other round cell tumors. NKX2-2, a homeodomain transcription factor involved in neuroendocrine/glial differentiation and a downstream target of EWSR1-FLI1, has been reported as an immunohistochemical marker for Ewing sarcoma. We assessed the specificity of NKX2-2 for Ewing sarcoma compared with other round cell malignant neoplasms and other soft tissue tumors with EWSR1 translocations. We evaluated whole-tissue sections from 270 cases: 40 Ewing sarcomas (4 with atypical/large cell features), 20 CIC-DUX4 sarcomas, 5 BCOR-CCNB3 sarcomas, 9 unclassified round cell sarcomas, 10 poorly differentiated synovial sarcomas, 10 lymphoblastic lymphomas, 10 alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas, 10 embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas, 10 Merkel cell carcinomas, 10 small cell carcinomas, 20 melanomas, 5 NUT midline carcinomas, 10 Wilms tumors, 10 neuroblastomas, 10 olfactory neuroblastomas, 12 mesenchymal chondrosarcomas, 10 angiomatoid fibrous histiocytomas, 10 clear cell sarcomas, 5 gastrointestinal clear cell sarcoma-like tumors, 5 desmoplastic small round cell tumors, 10 extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcomas, 10 soft tissue and cutaneous myoepitheliomas, and 19 myoepithelial carcinomas. NKX2-2 positivity was defined as moderate-to-strong nuclear immunoreactivity in at least 5% of cells. NKX2-2 was positive in 37/40 (93%) Ewing sarcomas, including all atypical Ewing sarcomas and cases with known EWSR1-FLI1 or EWSR1-ERG fusion; 85% of Ewing sarcomas showed diffuse (>50%) staining. NKX2-2 was positive in 9 (75%) mesenchymal chondrosarcomas, 8 (80%) olfactory neuroblastomas, 1 CIC-DUX4 sarcoma, 1 poorly differentiated synovial sarcoma, 1 neuroblastoma, 2 unclassified round cell sarcomas, and 3 small cell carcinomas; all other EWSR1-associated tumors were negative for NKX2-2, apart from 1 desmoplastic small round cell tumor, 1 myoepithelioma, and 1 myoepithelial carcinoma. In summary, NKX2-2 is a sensitive but imperfectly specific marker for Ewing sarcoma. Nonetheless, NKX2-2 may be helpful to distinguish Ewing sarcoma from some histologic mimics including CIC-DUX4 and BCOR-CCNB3 sarcomas. Most other EWSR1-associated soft tissue tumors are negative for NKX2-2.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Child
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.2
  • Homeodomain Proteins / analysis
  • Homeodomain Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sarcoma / diagnosis*
  • Sarcoma / genetics
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / diagnosis*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / genetics
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Transcription Factors / analysis
  • Transcription Factors / biosynthesis*
  • Young Adult
  • Zebrafish Proteins

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins
  • EWSR1 protein, human
  • Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.2
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • NKX2-2 protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • nkx2.2b protein, zebrafish