CD 138, syndecan I

The syndecans are a family of four transmembrane glycoproteins. Syndecans 1 and 2 appear to be altenatively expressed: syndecan 1 is the major syndecan in epithelial cells while syndecan 2 is more abundantly expressed in mesothelium and mesenchymal cells10.

Syndecan 1, CD138, is a 220 kd sulphate-rich proteoglycan adhesion molecule expressed in the late stages of B-cell differentiation, acquired as they differentiate towards plasma cells. Syndecan is up-regulated by WT-1 and in turn acts as a receptor for collagen, fibronectin and thrombospondin3. It binds basic fibroblast growth factor, an angiogenic agent, and thereby modulates neovascularisation6. The free ectodomain of syndecan I suppresses proliferation of tumour cells6.

Immunohistochemical expression

Antigen retrieval is required for formalin-fixed tissue and enhances staining of B-5 fixed tissue4.

 

Haematolymphoid disorders

CD138

 

Multiple myeloma

8/81, 43/434, 2/164, 1/19

Plasmacytoid lymphoma

2/21,

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma

9/91, 4/44, 3/39

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

0/34

Acute myelogenous leukaemia

0/134

Chronic myelogenous leukaemia

0/24

CLL/small lymphocytic lymphoma

0/201, 0/54, 0/144, 11/119

Follicular lymphoma

0/181, 0/24, 0/44, 0/144, 0/79

Marginal zone lymphoma

0/31, 4/64, 0/69

Mantle cell lymphoma

0/121, 0/14, 0/44, 0/99

Hairy cell leukaemia

0/24

DLBCL

5/351, 0/14, 2/164, 1/444, 1/147, 0/22, 0/59

Mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma

0/14, 0/19

Burkitt's lymphoma

0/71, 0/14, 0/12, 0/39

B-cell Lymphoma NOS

0/39

Precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma

0/29

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma

0/151, 0/14, 0/14, 0/19

Mycosis fungoides

0/44

Angioimmunoblastic lymphoma

0/19

T-cell Lymphoma NOS

0/19

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma

0/51, 0/34, 0/39

Mycosis fungoides

0/71

Post transplant lymphoproliferative disease

0/24

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin disease

0/61, 0/34, 0/24

Classical Hodgkin disease

23/311, 0/164

Mast cell disease

0/14

Langerhans cell histiocytosis

0/14

Non-neoplastic disease

0/34, 0/144

   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   

 Non-haematolymphoid disorders

CD138

 
 

Reactive mesothelial proliferation

0/112

 

Malignant mesothelioma

2/242, 1/213, 2/24, 52/576

 

Metastatic carcinoma, overall

32/582

 

Lung

adenocarcinoma

8/122, 11/213

 

squamous cell carcinoma

4/42, 1/12

 

non-small cell carcinoma. NOS

5/54

 

small cell carcinoma

2/22, 1/12, 0/63, 1/24

 

sarcomatoid carcinoma

1/12

 

poorly differentiated with neuroendocrine features

0/12

 

carcinomas overall

11/162, 11/273

 

pleuropulmonary blastoma

0/12

 

Ovary

papillary serous

8/152

 

endometrioid

1/12

 

clear cell

1/12

 

mixed Mullerian tumour

012

 

poorly differentiated carcinoma

1/12

 

overall

8/112, 10/243

 

Skin

squamous cell carcinoma

25/253

 

basal cell carcinoma

14/203

 

Merkel cell carcinoma

2/93

 

Thyroid

follicular adenoma

10/243

 

papillary carcinoma

2/93, 1/14

 

medullary carcinoma

2/173, 2/24

 

Salivary gland tumour

various

3/113

 

myoepithelioma

1/14

 

Larynx

squamous cell carcinoma

3/32,

 

Breast

ductal and lobular carcinomas

4/42, 2/62, 18/263, 4/64, 8/94

 

Pancreas

adenocarcinoma

1/32, 4/133

 

Colon

adenocarcinoma

5/51, 0/32, 9/103, 3/34

 

Uterus

endometrioid adenocarcinoma

2/32, 9/103

 

Oesophagus

adenocarcinoma

2/22, 0/14

 

Kidney

renal cell carcinoma

12/193, 1/14

 

Bladder

transitional cell carcinoma

1/22, 22/243, 3/34

 

Prostate

adenocarcinoma

1/22, 6/183, 1/14

 

Stomach

adenocarcinoma

0/12, 2/153, 4/54

 

Liver

hepatocellular carcinoma

15/253, 2/24

 

cholangiocarcinoma

1/12, 13/143

 

embryonal sarcoma

0/12

 

Adrenal

cortical tumour

7/203

 

Phaeochromocytoma

0/24

 

Thymoma

0/83, 1/14

 

Germ cell tumour, NOS

0/143

 

Seminoma

0/14

 

Schwannoma

0/14

 

GIST

1/14

 

Leiomyosarcoma

1/24

 

Abdominal angiosarcoma

0/12

 

Synovial sarcoma

2/24

 

Epithelioid sarcoma

0/103

 

Neuroendocrine carcinoma

3/93, 0/14

 

Carcinoid tumour

3/32, 2/103

     
 

Malignant melanoma

1/12, 0/12, 1/203, 5/104

       
       
       
 

Notes:

any degree of membrane staining was considered positive2

Loss of CD138 immunoreactivity in carcinomas may be associated with dedifferentiation9 or tumour progression.

Adenocarcinomas and mesotheliomas may show differences in the relative expression of syndecans 1 and 210:

 

Reference 10

Adenocarcinoma

Mesothelioma

 

Syndecan 1 > syndecan 2

8

0

Syndecan 1 = syndecan 2

0

0

Syndecan 1 < syndecan 2

2

8

Diagnostic utility

Note that a number of non-haematolymphoid neoplasms (myoepithelioma, medullary carcinoma of thyroid, melanoma) may have a plasmacytoid morphology and may also be positive for CD138: an appropriate panel of antibodies needs to be sued.

References

1 Costes V, Magen V, Legouffe E et al. The Mi15 monoclonal antibody (anti-syndecan-1) is a reliable marker for quantifying plasma cells in paraffin-embedded bone marrow biopsy specimens. Human Pathology 1999;30:1405-11. xxxxxxxxxx

2 Saqi A, Yun SS, Yu GH, et al. Utility of CD138 (syndecan-1) in distinguishing carcinomas from mesotheliomas. Diagn Cytopathol 2005; 33:65-70

3 Chu PG, Arber DA,Weiss LM. Expression of T/NK-cell and plasma cell antigens in nonhematopoietic epithelioid neoplasms. An immunohistochemical study of 447 cases. Am J Clin Pathol 2003; 120:64-70

4 O'Connell FP, Pinkus JL,Pinkus GS. CD138 (syndecan-1), a plasma cell marker immunohistochemical profile in hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic neoplasms. Am J Clin Pathol 2004; 121:254-63

5 Shah L, Walter KL, Borczuk AC, et al. Expression of syndecan-1 and expression of epidermal growth factor receptor are associated with survival in patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. Cancer 2004; 101:1632-8

6 Kumar-Singh S, Jacobs W, Dhaene K, et al. Syndecan-1 expression in malignant mesothelioma: correlation with cell differentiation, WT1 expression, and clinical outcome. J Pathol 1998; 186:300-5

7 Chilosi M, Adami F, Lestani M, et al. CD138/syndecan-1: a useful immunohistochemical marker of normal and neoplastic plasma cells on routine trephine bone marrow biopsies. Mod Pathol 1999; 12:1101-6 xxxxxxxxxx

8 Sebestyen A, Kovalszky I, Mihalik R, et al. Expression of syndecan-1 in human B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Eur J Cancer 1997; 33:2273-7 xxxxxxxxxx

9 Sebestyen A, Berczi L, Mihalik R, et al. Syndecan-1 (CD138) expression in human non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Br J Haematol 1999; 104:412-9

10 Gulyas M,Hjerpe A Proteoglycans and WT1 as markers for distinguishing adenocarcinoma, epithelioid mesothelioma, and benign mesothelium. J Pathol 2003; 199:479-87

This page last revised 1.11.2005.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop