Nuclear ß-catenin immunoexpression in scars.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Histopathologically, scars can mimic superficial fibromatoses. Superficial fibromatoses are known to show nuclear ß-catenin immunoexpression, although the tumor types do not harbor CTNNB1 or APC alterations. This study aimed to evaluate nuclear ß-catenin immunoexpression in scars compared to that in superficial fibromatoses. METHODS: Immunostaining with an anti-ß-catenin antibody, clone 14, was performed on 8 superficial fibromatoses and 22 scars. The extent of ß-catenin nuclear staining was classified as negative (<10%), focally positive (10-49%), or diffusely positive (50-100%). ß-catenin staining intensity was semi-quantitatively graded as weak, moderate, or strong. RESULTS: In 21 (95%) scars, nuclear ß-catenin immunoexpression was detected in fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, with mainly diffuse (16/21) and moderate (14/21) to strong (5/21) staining. In contrast, seven (88%) of the eight superficial fibromatoses expressed ß-catenin in the nuclei of the lesional spindle cells, at varying levels of staining intensity. Fibroblasts in normal papillary dermis always showed nuclear ß-catenin expression to varying degrees but those in the reticular dermis did not. CONCLUSIONS: Scars typically exhibit nuclear ß-catenin expression similar to that in superficial fibromatoses. Thus, ß-catenin immunohistochemistry is not suitable for distinguishing superficial fibromatoses from scars.