title: Immunohistochemical detection of E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenins in papillary thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: E-cadherin and catenins play a major role in neoplastic cell behavior as a suppressor of invasion and/or metastasis. The aim of this study was to determine E-cadherin, alpha-catenin and beta-catenin expressions in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and to correlate the results of expression to initial clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcome. Forty-one cases (mean age 37.3 +/- 11.2 yr) with PTC were studied. Patients were followed-up with a mean period of 47.6 +/- 27.0 months. A retrospective immunohistochemical analysis of E-cadherin, alpha-catenin and beta-catenin was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Tissues from ten patients with benign goiter were used as controls. E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin immunoreactivities were found in 80% (33/41), 76% (31/41) and 97% (40/41) of patients respectively. No correlation was found between E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin immunoreactivities and sex, local invasion or lymphatic spread at the time of initial examination. Distant metastases and/or local recurrences developed in 6 patients during follow-up. Recurrences/metastases developed both E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin positive and negative primary tumors. Disease-free survival curves according to Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test did not show any significant differences between E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin positive and negative patients. According to our findings, E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenin expressions may not add any valuable information to the follow-up in a subgroup of PTC patients with a relatively benign course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Capa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kapran
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozbey
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molvalilar
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sencer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dizdaroğlu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozarmağan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000737:chemistry*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D016610:Tissue Embedding; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000032:analysis*; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin