A. Kondi-pafiti et al., Immunohistochemical study of ceruloplasmin, lactoferrin and secretory component expression in neoplastic and non-neoplastic thyroid gland diseases, ACTA ONCOL, 39(6), 2000, pp. 753-756
The expression of lactoferrin (LF), ceruloplasmin (CP) and secretory compon
ent (SC) in various thyroid diseases was investigated using an immunohistoc
hemical method. LF is an iron-binding protein overexpressed in certain huma
n adenocarcinomas. CP is implicated in carcinogenesis and SC is part of the
local immune defense system. Sections of 15 follicular adenomas, 5 follicu
lar carcinomas (FC), 16 papillary carcinomas (PC), 15 goitres and 2 cases o
f lymphocytic thyroiditis were re-examined and investigated immunohistologi
cally by a streptavidin-biotin method. A positive immunostain reaction for
CP and LF was observed in ail cases of PC and FC. A positive immunostain re
action for SC was observed in 13/16 cases of PC and 4/5 cases of FC. A nega
tive immunostain reaction for CP, LF and SC was observed in medullary cance
rs, in follicular adenomas and in the cases with goitre. We conclude that t
he immunostain expression of LF, CP and SC is a valuable diagnostic aid in
the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid tumors. The
expression of SC indicates the presence of a local immunodefensive system.