Correlation of expressions of GFAP, NT-3, Trk and NCAM with neurotropic molecular mechanism and clinical factors in adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland

OBJECTIVE:To observe the expressions of GFAP, NT-3, Trk and NCAM in order to investigate the mechanism of perineural invasion (PI), and the correlation of them with clinical factors in ACC. METHODS: The expressions of GFAP, NT-3, Trk and NCAM were examined in 94 cases of ACC by immunohistochemical means, and the differences of their expressions were analyzed between(among) PI/NPI(NO PI) groups and clinical groups with different factors. RESULTS: There were differences of excessive expressions of GFAP, NT-3, Trk, and low expressions of NCAM between(among) the PI/NPI groups and pathological hypotype groups (P0.05); and the excessive expressions of NT-3 and Trk were different between the recurrence/no recurrence groups (P0.05); the excessive expression of NT-3 was different between the margin infiltration/no infiltration groups (P0.05). Multiplicity further indicated: there was a positive correlation of expressions of GFAP, NT-3 and Trk with NI(β values were 2.097, 1.871 and 3.194, respectively; P0.05), and the negative correlation of expression of GFAP with pathological hypotypes in ACC(β=-1.216, P=0.021). In addition, the expression of NCAM in nerve tissue was higher than that in ACC cells. CONCLUSION: The excessive expressions of GFAP, NT-3 and Trk possibly participate in PI of ACC, and the low expression of NCAM possibly indirectly promotes the process of PI.