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9840611 
Journal Article 
Maspin expression is directly associated with biological aggressiveness of thyroid carcinoma 
Ito, Y; Yoshida, H; Tomoda, C; Uruno, T; Takamura, Y; Miya, A; Kobayashi, K; Matsuzuka, F; Matsuura, N; Kuma, K; Miyauchi, A 
2004 
1 
Thyroid
ISSN: 1050-7256
EISSN: 1557-9077 
14 
1 
13-18 
English 
15009909 
WOS:000220011100003 
Maspin belongs to the serpin superfamily and has been identified as a tumor suppressor because it inhibits cell motility, invasion, and angiogenesis. However, its physiological activity in carcinoma tissues seems to differ according to the origin of the carcinoma. In this study, we investigated maspin expression in thyroid neoplasms originating in follicular cells by means of immunohistochemistry. Neither normal follicular cells nor stromal cells expressed maspin. Follicular adenomas were all negative for maspin, but 12.5% of follicular carcinomas and 30.5% of papillary carcinomas were positive for it. However, the staining pattern was only focal in all positive specimens except for one and maspin-expressing cells were present mainly at the edge of carcinoma nests. Widely invasive follicular carcinomas tended to be more frequently positive for maspin than minimally invasive ones. In papillary carcinoma, maspin expression was directly linked to stage, tumor size, and extrathyroidal invasion. Papillary and follicular carcinomas involving lesions with solid, trabecular, or scirrhous growth patterns (poorly differentiated carcinoma as designated by Sakamoto et al.) expressed maspin in significantly higher incidence than those with pure papillary or follicular patterns. Furthermore, 48.2% of anaplastic (undifferentiated) carcinomas diffusely expressed maspin, and the rest were completely negative. These findings indicate that, in contrast to other carcinomas, maspin expression is directly associated with the biological aggressiveness of thyroid carcinoma. Further studies regarding the function of maspin in this carcinoma are required.