Co-expression of cytokeratin and vimentin intermediate-sized filaments in renal cell carcinomas

Abstract

The expression of intermediate-sized filaments (IF) was examined by immunocytochemical methods in 40 primary renal cell carcinomas and compared with the IF distribution in the normal adult human kidney. All tumours stained positively with cytokeratin IF antibodies. Co-expression of cytokeratins and vimentin was observed in 21/40 (52,5%) renal carcinomas. Double immunofluorescence labelling demonstrated that in most of these cases tumour cells contained both cytokeratin and vimentin type IF. In normal human kidneys, cells of the various tubular segments disclosed a positive reaction with cytokeratin antibodies in a different intensity and intracellular localization. Co-expression of cytokeratin and vimentin IF in normal adult human kidneys has never been observed. From a histogenetic point of view, co-expression of cytokeratins and vimentin in renal cell carcinoma obviously represents an atavistic phenomenon since vimentin is re-expressed by these tumour cells during neoplastic transformation. This finding indicates the metanephric origin of the renal parenchyma. In surgical pathology the possibility of very rare co-expression of cytokeratin and vimentin IF within tumour cells should be considered, particularly in the differential diagnosis of clear cell carcinomas.