Immunohistochemical detection of alpha-catenin expression in human cancers.
The function of E-cadherin is thought to be regulated by its associated cytoplasmic proteins including alpha-catenin. To determine whether possible downregulation of alpha-catenin expression may play a role in tumor invasion and metastasis through the dysfunction of E-cadherin, we investigated the expression of alpha-catenin in human carcinoma samples (esophagus, stomach, and colon) by immunohistochemistry using our monoclonal antibody against alpha-catenin (alpha-18). Normal epithelium expressed alpha-catenin strongly without exception. However, alpha-catenin expression was frequently reduced in primary tumors of esophagus (12 of 15:80%), stomach (14 of 20: 70%), and colon (8 of 10: 80%). Of the tumors with reduced alpha-catenin expression, alpha-catenin expression was completely negative in 70.6% of them (9 of 12 in esophagus, 9 of 14 in stomach, and 6 of 8 in colon). These results also suggested that some human cancer cells may have impaired E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesiveness through the downregulation of alpha-catenin expression.
Shiozaki
H
H
Department of Surgery II, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Iihara
K
K
Oka
H
H
Kadowaki
T
T
Matsui
S
S
Gofuku
J
J
Inoue
M
M
Nagafuchi
A
A
Tsukita
S
S
Mori
T
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051178:alpha Catenin
C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D051178:alpha Catenin