TY - JOUR
T1 - Immunohistological profiling confirms salivary gland-like nature of the tubarial glands and suggests closest resemblance to the palatal salivary glands
AU - Pringle, Sarah
AU - Bikker, Floris J.
AU - Vogel, Wouter
AU - de Bakker, Bernadette S.
AU - Hofland, Ingrid
AU - van der Vegt, Bert
AU - Bootsma, Hendrika
AU - Kroese, Frans
AU - Vissink, Arjan
AU - Valstar, Matthijs
N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by funding from ReumaNederland (LongTerm Project LTP-29). This research was enabled by a Long Term Research grant from ReumaNederland (LLP29). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/10/1
Y1 - 2023/10/1
N2 - Background and purpose: High label uptake in 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT recently identified a bilateral nasopharyngeal structure as a salivary gland (SG)-like additional ‘area of interest’, to be considered in conditions affecting SGs. These structures were termed ‘tubarial glands’. We aimed to further characterize their histological and immunohistochemical position compared to established SGs. Methods: Tubarial gland tissue was compared with parotid, submandibular, sublingual, palatal and labial SGs tissue using immunohistological techniques. Results: Expression of acinar cell-associated aquaporin-5 (AQP5) was detected in tubarial glands, in an apical location associated in control, established SGs with polarized, secretory acinar cells. Keratin14 (KRT14) expression in cells peripheral to AQP5+ clusters also suggested presence of myoepithelial cells. α-amylase, prolactin-induced protein, proline rich protein Haelll subfamily 2, and Muc5B expression suggests mucous acinar cell presence, and presence of muco-serous acinar cells peripheral to putative mucous acinar cells. Expression of adrenergic receptor-β1 by acinar-like cells of the tubarial gland suggests ability to transduce sympathetic neuronal signaling. In terms of ductal architecture, tubarial glands contained large excretory-like ducts (similar to all other SGs), and squamous ducts, comprised of intermingled KRT14+ and KRT7+ cells. These squamous ducts were also observed in palatal, sublingual and labial SGs. No striated or intercalated ducts were observed, similar to palatal SGs. Conclusion: Based on histological and immunohistochemical analyses, the tubarial glands resemble SGs. They most convincingly echo characteristics of the palatal SGs in terms of ductal cells, and both the palatal and labial SGs when considering acinar cells.
AB - Background and purpose: High label uptake in 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT recently identified a bilateral nasopharyngeal structure as a salivary gland (SG)-like additional ‘area of interest’, to be considered in conditions affecting SGs. These structures were termed ‘tubarial glands’. We aimed to further characterize their histological and immunohistochemical position compared to established SGs. Methods: Tubarial gland tissue was compared with parotid, submandibular, sublingual, palatal and labial SGs tissue using immunohistological techniques. Results: Expression of acinar cell-associated aquaporin-5 (AQP5) was detected in tubarial glands, in an apical location associated in control, established SGs with polarized, secretory acinar cells. Keratin14 (KRT14) expression in cells peripheral to AQP5+ clusters also suggested presence of myoepithelial cells. α-amylase, prolactin-induced protein, proline rich protein Haelll subfamily 2, and Muc5B expression suggests mucous acinar cell presence, and presence of muco-serous acinar cells peripheral to putative mucous acinar cells. Expression of adrenergic receptor-β1 by acinar-like cells of the tubarial gland suggests ability to transduce sympathetic neuronal signaling. In terms of ductal architecture, tubarial glands contained large excretory-like ducts (similar to all other SGs), and squamous ducts, comprised of intermingled KRT14+ and KRT7+ cells. These squamous ducts were also observed in palatal, sublingual and labial SGs. No striated or intercalated ducts were observed, similar to palatal SGs. Conclusion: Based on histological and immunohistochemical analyses, the tubarial glands resemble SGs. They most convincingly echo characteristics of the palatal SGs in terms of ductal cells, and both the palatal and labial SGs when considering acinar cells.
KW - Acinar cells
KW - Ductal cells
KW - PSMA PET/CT imaging
KW - Radiotherapy
KW - Salivary glands
KW - Tubarial glands
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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109845
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109845
M3 - Article
C2 - 37543053
SN - 0167-8140
VL - 187
SP - 1
EP - 7
JO - Radiotherapy and oncology
JF - Radiotherapy and oncology
M1 - 109845
ER -