GATA-3

What is GATA-3?

GATA-3 is a specialized protein that is made by many different types of normal, healthy cells including cells in the skin, breast, salivary glands, kidney, bladder, and immune system. Tumours that start from these types of tissue may also make GATA-3. This protein may also be found in tumours that start in tissues that do not normally make GATA-3. Once the GATA-3 protein is made, it is found in the nucleus of the cell. The nucleus is the part of the cell that holds most of the cell’s genetic material (DNA).

What tests do pathologists perform to look for GATA-3?

Pathologists use a test called immunohistochemistry to ‘see’ GATA-3 protein inside cells. Pathologists will perform this test when they are trying to decide if the cells that they are looking at under the microscope are one of the cell types that normally make GATA-3. Cells that make this protein will be called positive or reactive. Cells that do not make this protein will be called negative or non-reactive.

Normal types of tissues and cells that produce GATA-3

• Skin
• Salivary glands
• Kidney
• Bladder, ureters, and urethra
• Parathyroid gland
• Immune cells
• Breast

Tumours that commonly produce GATA-3

• Adenoid cystic carcinoma
• Adnexal skin tumours
• Basal cell carcinoma of the skin
• Choriocarcinoma
• Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma
• Ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
• Embryonal carcinoma
• Invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast
• Invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast
• Mesothelioma
• Oncocytoma of the kidney
• Paraganglioma
• Pheochromocytoma
• Salivary duct carcinoma
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix
• Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, ureters, or urethra