Beta- and gamma-catenin expression in thyroid carcinomas.
Cadherins are calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecules whose intracellular domain forms a complex with proteins required for their function, called catenins. Down-regulation of cadherins has frequently been detected in many types of human carcinomas, being associated with tumour progression. The present study investigates the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and beta- and gamma-catenin in 27 human thyroid carcinomas. E-cadherin immunoreactivity was found to be decreased at cell-cell contacts in 8/15 (53 per cent) papillary, 5/7 (71 per cent) follicular, and 5/5 (100 per cent) anaplastic carcinomas. Beta-catenin membrane localization was found to be decreased in 6/15 (40 per cent) papillary, 2/7 (28 per cent) follicular, and 5/5 (100 per cent) anaplastic carcinomas. Gamma-catenin expression was partially or totally lost in 13/15 (86 per cent) papillary, 6/7 (85 per cent) follicular, and 5/5 (100 per cent) anaplastic carcinomas. A normal pattern of expression for these three molecules was observed in areas of normal tissue in each sample. These data indicate that in addition to E-cadherin, catenins are also down-regulated at cell-cell junctions in thyroid tumours and could represent potentially useful differentiation and/or transformation markers. The high frequency of alterations of gamma-catenin expression found in thyroid carcinomas suggests an important role for this gene product in thyroid carcinogenesis.
Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi di Reggio Calabria, Catanzaro, Italy.
A
A
Cerrato
F
F
Fulciniti
A
A
Avallone
G
G
Benincasa
L
L
Palombini
M
M
Grieco
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000737:chemistry; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D051180:Desmoplakins; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D051180:Desmoplakins; C495292:JUP protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin