Tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 is expressed higher in multisystem than in single-system Langerhans cell histiocytosis by immunohistochemistry.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a proliferative disorder of Langerhans cell (LC)-like CD1a-positive cell (LCH cell) with unknown causes. LCH consists of two subtypes: single-system LCH (LCH-SS) with favorable prognosis and multisystem LCH (LCH-MS) with poor prognosis. LCH has been indicated as a neoplastic disorder from monoclonal characteristics of LCH cells. This study aimed to investigate an expression of tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 in LCH, since its expression levels were variously reported in many tumors, overexpression in ovarian cancers (a candidate oncoprotein), and downregulation by methylation in gastric cancers, prostate cancers, malignant lymphomas, and leukemias (a putative tumor suppressor). By immunohistochemistry (IHC), the SHP-1 expression in LCs and LCH cells was compared in LCH (two subtypes: LCH-SS = 21, LCH-MS = 12), dermatopathic lymphadenopathy (DLA) (n = 9) and normal epidermal LCs (n = 3) near LCH lesion. IHC results were analyzed semiquantitatively using a Photoshop software. The mean intensity score (IS) of DLA, LCH-SS, LCH-MS, and LCs were 47, 100, 139, and 167 (in arbitrary unit), respectively. The IS had significant differences among LCH-SS, LCH-MS, and DLA (p < 0.01). SHP-1 is expressed significantly higher in LCH-MS than in LCH-SS. SHP-1 can be a progression marker of LCH. SHP-1 is also useful for differential diagnosis between LCH in lymph nodes and DLA.