Analysis of the mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate in the nontumorigenic, Pretumorigenic and tumorigenic keratinocytic hyperproliferative lesions of the skin

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The keratinocytic hyperproliferative lesions include non-tumorigenic, pretumorigenic (actinic keratoses, AK), and tumorigenic (squamous cell carcinomas, SCC) conditions. Although mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate (MICs) is a constant feature in these lesions, their immunophenotypic characterization is still incomplete. We hypothesized that the development of non-tumorigenic, pretumorigenic, and tumorigenic keratinocytic hyperproliferative lesions is associated with alterations in the mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate in response to altered antigenicity of the lesional cells. This study tries to test this hypothesis and to characterize MICs in these lesions. METHODS: Fifty lesions (nontumorigenic lesions, 29; AK, 9 and SCC, 12) were examined using immunoperoxidase staining methods and antibodies targeting histiocytes (CD68), T (CD3), B cells (CD20), and T cells with cytotoxic potential (TIA-1). RESULTS: As compared to the normal skin, the development of the keratinocytic hyperproliferative lesions (normal skin; non-tumorigenic; AK and SCC) was associated with a statistically significant increase( p=