Vidal Valérie P I, Ortonne Nicolas, Schedl Andreas
INSERM, U636, Nice, France.
J Cutan Pathol. 2008 Apr;35(4):373-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00815.x.
SOX9 is a transcription factor that fulfills multiple functions during development. In the hair follicle SOX9 is expressed in the outer layer of the epithelial sheath, and the hair stem cell compartment. Recent data suggest that Sox9 acts as a downstream target of the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway. Activation of the Shh pathway is a major cause of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Here we test whether activation of SOX9 is a general feature of BCC, or whether it could be used as a biomarker to better define subtypes of these skin tumors. In addition we investigated SOX9 expression in other skin epidermal tumors.
Tumors sections were stained with hematoxylin & eosin (H&E). SOX9 activation was determined by immunofluorescence.
SOX9 activation was observed in all subtypes of BCC tested. Staining was heterogeneous and could be detected among the basaloid cells of the palisading cell layer as well as in the tumour nest. SOX9 expression was detected in all adnexal tumors analyzed and absent in Bowen's disease and Merkel tumor.
SOX9 expression is a general feature of BCC and adnexal skin neoplasms, suggesting a contribution of SOX9 to the pathogenesis of these tumors.
SOX9是一种在发育过程中发挥多种功能的转录因子。在毛囊中，SOX9在上皮鞘外层和毛干细胞区室中表达。最近的数据表明，Sox9作为音猬因子（Shh）信号通路的下游靶点发挥作用。Shh信号通路的激活是皮肤基底细胞癌（BCC）的主要病因。在此，我们测试SOX9的激活是否是BCC的普遍特征，或者它是否可以用作生物标志物以更好地定义这些皮肤肿瘤的亚型。此外，我们研究了SOX9在其他皮肤表皮肿瘤中的表达情况。
肿瘤切片用苏木精和伊红（H&E）染色。通过免疫荧光确定SOX9的激活情况。
在所测试的所有BCC亚型中均观察到SOX9的激活。染色不均匀，在栅栏状细胞层的基底样细胞以及肿瘤巢中均可检测到。在所有分析的附属器肿瘤中均检测到SOX9表达，而在鲍温病和默克尔细胞瘤中未检测到。
SOX9表达是BCC和附属器皮肤肿瘤的普遍特征，表明SOX9在这些肿瘤的发病机制中发挥作用。
