Vimentin as a marker of myoepithelial cells in salivary gland tumors

Abstract
Thirty-six salivary gland tumors from the Surgical Oral Pathology Service of the University of São Paulo, School of Dentistry, have been examined by immunostaining, using commercially available antibody to vimentin. The samples analyzed included tumors in which the participation of myoepithelial cells as a tumoral component has been postulated, i.e., pleomorphic adenoma, myoepithelioma, epithelial-myoepithelial adenoma, monomorphic adenoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma, and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma. Our results strongly support the view that vimentin is one of the earliest indicators of neoplastic myoepithelial differentiation.