Co-expression of N-cadherin and alpha-fetoprotein in stomach cancer.
Although N-cadherin is necessary for organ formation originating in the endoderm, the expression of N-cadherin in gastric carcinoma and its role has not yet been reported. The present study was conducted to determine the pattern of immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin, using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 97 primary gastric carcinomas, including 17 which were producing alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Samples were subdivided into 50 tubular adenocarcinomas and 47 poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas. Results showed that E-cadherin was expressed in varying degrees in areas of cell adhesion between tumor cells, in 94 out of 97 cases studied. Three cases which showed no expression of E-cadherin were diagnosed as AFP-producing tumors by immunohistochemistry. Expression of N-cadherin was observed in varying degrees in the intercellular spaces between tumor cells in 11 tubular adenocarcinomas and in six poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, including E-cadherin-negative cases, all of which were AFP positive. The present findings suggest a possible role for N-cadherin in gastric carcinoma.
Yanagimoto
K
K
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kitasato University, Kitasato, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 228-8555, Japan.
Sato
Y
Y
Shimoyama
Y
Y
Tsuchiya
B
B
Kuwao
S
S
Kameya
T
T
D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007564:Japan; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015017:Yolk Sac / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000276:immunology*
D015820:Cadherins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins