E-cadherin expression in gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma: an immunohistochemical and immunoblot study.
OBJECTIVE
Cadherins are cell adhesion molecules that are thought to play a vital role in cell-cell adhesion; loss or down-regulation of their expression has been implicated in neoplasia. Barrett's esophageal columnar metaplasia (BE) is a premalignant lesion for esophageal adenocarcinoma with clinical symptoms similar to those of gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophagitis. In this study, we investigated the potential relationship between E-cadherin expression and inflammation, metaplasia, and carcinogenesis in esophagitis, BE, and esophageal adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
Endoscopically obtained mucosal biopsy specimens of esophagitis (n = 6), BE with or without dysplasia (n = 16), and esophageal adenocarcinoma (n = 6) were analyzed for the expression of E-cadherin by both Western analysis and immunoperoxidase staining.


RESULTS
Densitometric analysis of Western blots revealed the expression of E-cadherin to be significantly lower in patients with BE compared with normal esophageal epithelium, regardless of the presence or absence of dysplasia (p < 0.03). No significant differences were noticed between the normal esophagus and the esophagitis groups. In the adenocarcinoma group, one patient showed complete loss of E-cadherin expression, and the other five patients showed significantly reduced expression that was even lower than that in BE (p < 0.01). Immunoperoxidase staining matched the Western analysis results.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that loss of or reduced E-cadherin expression may play a role in the progression of BE to adenocarcinoma.
Swami
S
S
Department of Medicine, Stanford University, California, USA.
Kumble
S
S
Triadafilopoulos
G
G
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology
D015820:Cadherins