Aim: Expression of the oncofetal protein insulin like growth factor II messenger ribonucleic acid binding protein 3 (IMP3) has been shown to differentiate between benign and malignant lesions in several tissues. Our aim was to assess the immunohistochemical expression of IMP3 in inflammatory and neoplastic lesions of the gastric mucosa and to determine whether IMP3, alone or in combination with p53, could be used for identifying neoplasia of the gastric mucosa.
Methods: IMP3 and p53 immunohistochemistry was performed on 57 cases of gastritis, 28 cases of dysplasia of the gastric mucosa and 63 cases of gastric carcinomas. Focal IMP3 positivity was detected in 86% of non-neoplastic lesions of the gastric mucosa. Using a simple product score (PS), 96% of non-neoplastic lesions of the gastric mucosa were assessed as IMP3(PS) negative. None of the low-grade dysplasia but 83% of high-grade dysplasia were IMP3(PS) positive. Gastric carcinomas showed IMP3(PS) positivity in 65%. Adding p53 to the diagnostic panel increased sensitivity significantly.
Conclusion: High-grade dysplasia and gastric carcinomas can be distinguished from low-grade dysplasia and inflammatory lesions of the gastric mucosa with a high specificity and good sensitivity using a combination of the immunohistochemical markers IMP3 and p53.
Keywords: IMP3; gastric mucosa; immunohistochemistry; inflammatory; neoplastic; p53.