Expression of mitochondrial dynamic markers in adenoid cystic carcinoma

Objective This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of mitochondrial dynamic markers in adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC). Study Design Fifty-seven formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cases were retrieved and disposed in a tissue microarray. Histological sections were submitted to immunohistochemical reactions against AMT, DRP1, FIS1, MFN1, MFN2, and OPA1 proteins. Clinical data were retrieved from the patients’ medical files, including specific and disease-free survival data. Results It was observed that 50.9% of the cases were strongly positive for AMT and DRP1, while 49.1%, 21.1%, 22.8%, and 24.6% were strongly positive for FIS1, MFN1, MFN2, and OPA1, respectively. Reactions were observed in both epithelial and myoepithelial components of the tumor. The higher expression of MFN2 was associated with a solid microscopic pattern (p = .016). DRP1 overexpression showed a trend towards a shorter overall survival (p = .054), while negative/weak OPA1 showed a trend towards a lower DFS (p=.051) in the univariate analysis, but no mitochondrial marker represented an independent prognostic determinant under multivariate analysis. Conclusion Mitochondrial dynamics markers do not seem to carry a prognostic significance for AdCC patients, but these proteins may play an important role in its pathogenesis. Support: FAPEMIG, CAPES, CNPq. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of mitochondrial dynamic markers in adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC). Fifty-seven formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cases were retrieved and disposed in a tissue microarray. Histological sections were submitted to immunohistochemical reactions against AMT, DRP1, FIS1, MFN1, MFN2, and OPA1 proteins. Clinical data were retrieved from the patients’ medical files, including specific and disease-free survival data. It was observed that 50.9% of the cases were strongly positive for AMT and DRP1, while 49.1%, 21.1%, 22.8%, and 24.6% were strongly positive for FIS1, MFN1, MFN2, and OPA1, respectively. Reactions were observed in both epithelial and myoepithelial components of the tumor. The higher expression of MFN2 was associated with a solid microscopic pattern (p = .016). DRP1 overexpression showed a trend towards a shorter overall survival (p = .054), while negative/weak OPA1 showed a trend towards a lower DFS (p=.051) in the univariate analysis, but no mitochondrial marker represented an independent prognostic determinant under multivariate analysis. Mitochondrial dynamics markers do not seem to carry a prognostic significance for AdCC patients, but these proteins may play an important role in its pathogenesis. Support: FAPEMIG, CAPES, CNPq.