Korean J Pathol.  2001 Dec;35(6):506-512.

Immunohistochemical Expression of CD117, CD34, Vimentin and alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

• Kim JK
• Kwon OJ
• Kim BH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The interstitial cell of Cajal (ICC), the cell of origin for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), expresses CD117 (c-kit) which is a receptor for KIT ligand in cell membranes. It is immunohistochemically positive for CD117, CD34 and vimentin, but not for alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA).
METHODS
We performed the immunohistochmical study with anti-CD117, anti-CD34, anti-VMT and anti-alpha-SMA in paraffin-embedded tissue of 28 GISTs and 19 smooth muscle tumors arising in the gastrointestinal tract, mesentery, omentum and retroperitoneum (GISMT) to determine the precise nature of GIST cells.
RESULTS
The positive rates of CD117, CD34 and vimentin in extraGISTs were significantly higher than in GISMTs. The positive rate of alpha-SMA in GIST was not significantly different than in GISMTs.
CONCLUSIONS
A subset of GISTs may express alpha-SMA as well as CD117 and the cell of their origin may be a ICC precursor cell which is capable of differentiating bidirectionally into ICC and smooth muscle cell. This explains why GISTs may arise out of gut where ICC is not present and that they may represent the tumors arising from ICC precursor cell present around the gastrointestinal tract.

Keyword

Gastrointestinal neoplasms; Proto-oncogene protein c-kit; Immunohistochemistry

MeSH Terms

Actins*
Cell Membrane
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors*
Gastrointestinal Tract
Immunohistochemistry
Mesentery
Myocytes, Smooth Muscle
Omentum
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
Smooth Muscle Tumor
Stem Cell Factor
Vimentin*
Actins
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
Stem Cell Factor
Vimentin