Gene Expression Profiling of Head and Neck Tumors Identifies FOXP1 and SOX10 Expression as Useful for Distinguishing Ameloblastoma From Basaloid Salivary Gland Tumors

Am J Surg Pathol. 2020 May;44(5):665-672. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000001421.

Abstract

Odontogenic tumors show considerable morphologic heterogeneity and at times the diagnosis can be challenging. Ameloblastoma, the most common odontogenic tumor, can have morphologic similarity to some salivary gland tumors and therefore we sought to identify biomarkers that might aid in the diagnosis by performing transcriptome wide gene expression profiling of 80 odontogenic and salivary gland neoplasms. These data identified the FOXP1/SOX10 expression profile as characteristic of many odontogenic tumors including ameloblastoma but largely absent in salivary gland tumors. We then assessed 173 salivary gland tumors and 108 odontogenic tumors by immunohistochemistry for FOXP1 and SOX10 expression and found that 34/35 (97%) cases of ameloblastomas were diffusely positive for FOXP1 but completely negative for SOX10. None of the basaloid salivary neoplasms (basal cell adenoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, polymorphous adenocarcinoma, and myoepitheloma) demonstrated FOXP1/SOX10 expression pattern. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that the FOXP1/SOX10 immunophenotype is common in odontogenic tumors including ameloblastoma and might be useful distinguishing these from similar appearing basaloid salivary gland tumors.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Ameloblastoma / chemistry
  • Ameloblastoma / genetics*
  • Ameloblastoma / pathology
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
  • British Columbia
  • Carcinoma / chemistry
  • Carcinoma / genetics*
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / analysis
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Repressor Proteins / analysis
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*
  • SOXE Transcription Factors / analysis
  • SOXE Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Salivary Gland Neoplasms / pathology
  • San Francisco
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • FOXP1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Repressor Proteins
  • SOX10 protein, human
  • SOXE Transcription Factors