title: Focal up-regulation of E-cadherin-catenin complex in inflamed bowel mucosa but reduced expression in ulcer-associated cell lineage.
abstract: The E-cadherin-catenin complex is important for the maintenance of epithelial architecture. We studied its expression in Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, acute ileitis, and controls. Immunohistochemical stainings for E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, beta-catenin and gamma-catenin were performed. E-cadherin messenger RNA (mRNA) was detected using riboprobes. In active inflammation, there was up-regulation of the complex. In particular, epithelium adjacent to ulcers showed increased expression of protein and mRNA, but in ulcer-associated cell lineage, the intensity of staining was weak to negative. In focal inflammation, up-regulation was found in affected areas. Reparative epithelium growing over denuded areas showed weaker expression. Since structural or functional perturbation in any of the molecules of the E-cadherin-catenin complex results in loss of intercellular adhesion, the preexistent epithelium may benefit from up-regulation to try to maintain its normal architecture under inflammatory conditions. Reduced expression in reparative epithelium and ulcer-associated cell lineage could facilitate the motility of these cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demetter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Damme
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baeten
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elewaut
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mareel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bullock
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mielants
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verbruggen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Keyser
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Veys
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cuvelier
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019070:Cell Lineage; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007079:Ileitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014456:Ulcer / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger