Alveolar soft part sarcoma: histogenesis.

BACKGROUND

In 1952, Christopherson et al proposed that alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) was a distinct entity with unique clinical and pathological features. Since their report, however, the histogenesis has remained undetermined.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to investigate the histogenesis of ASPS, two cases were examined using the immunofluorescence antibody (IF) method, the avidin-biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) method, Western bloffing with an anti-actin polyclonal antibody, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Moreover, a total of seven cases were examined using the ABC method involving eight antibodies related to skeletal muscle;

RESULTS

The results obtained from the IF method suggested that the granules in the cytoplasm were probably actin. The results from the IF method, Western blotting and RT-PCR were compatible with the presence of alpha-actin from human skeletal muscle in ASPS, while the ABC method using eight muscle-related antibodies also suggested the origin of ASPS was skeletal muscle.

CONCLUSION

It is postulated that the histogenesis of ASPS is of skeletal muscle origin.