Ultrastructural localization of E-cadherin and alpha-/beta-catenin in adenoid cystic carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the disturbance of intercellular adhesion in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), we examined the ultrastructural localization of E-cadherin (E-cad), alpha-catenin (alpha-cat) and beta-catenin (beta-cat) in ACC, and compared it with that in the normal labial gland.


RESULTS
Using immuno-electron microscopy, in the normal labial gland, E-cad was found to be uniformly distributed along the plasmalemma, where cells were in close contact with each other, with junctional complexes, desmosomes and interdigitations; expression of alpha-cat and beta-cat was also detected. In ACC, which was classified into tubular, cribriform and trabecular types, E-cad expression seemed not to be uniform, but was observed to be along the plasmalemma where cell-to-cell contact was made. On the other hand, expression of alpha-cat or beta-cat was uneven in the trabecular-type cells which were very slender and grew in an infiltrative scattered pattern into the extracellular matrix; that was absent in the cribriform-type cells which made contact with each other mostly at the tip of the cytoplasmic processes.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the neoplastic cells of ACC express E-cad for use in intercellular adhesion, but the cadherin-catenin complex might not operate properly, which is the cause of neoplastic cell dissociation, followed by invasion and metastasis.
Shibuya
Y
Y
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kobe Steel Hospital, Kakogawa, Japan.
Ri
S
S
Umeda
M
M
Yoshikawa
T
T
Masago
H
H
Komori
T
T
D000328:Adult; D015820:Cadherins / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000145:classification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008875:Middle Aged; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin
C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin