[Expression patterns of E-cadherin and beta-catenin according to clinicopathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
E-cadherin is involved in intercellular binding and cellular polarity formation. beta-catenin plays a fundamental role in regulation of the E-cadherin cell adhesion complex. The abnormalities of the components of the complex may disrupt this adhesive function. We investigated the expression patterns of E-cadherin and beta-catenin to determine the clinical significance of these proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
Thirty-six hepaticellular carcinoma tissues and adjacent non-tumor specimens were analyzed. Subcellular distribution of E-cadherin and beta-catenin was examined by immunohistochemistry staining. We evaluated the patterns of the expression, and investigated the relationship with the cause of HCC; level of AFP; TNM stage; tumor size; growth types; metastasis; differentiation grade of HCC; and presence of portal vein thrombosis.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemistry showed that all non-tumor tissues had membranous type staining of E-cadherin. All non-tumor tissues showed cytoplasmic type staining of beta-catenin, but no beta-catenin accumulation in nuclei was found. 58% (21/36) of HCC showed positive expression of E-cadherin in cytoplasmic membrane. The cytoplasmic expression of beta-catenin in HCC was 83% (30/36); nuclear expression in 14% (5/36); and no staining in 3% (1/36). Nuclear beta-catenin expression was observed in none (0/4) of the well-differentiated HCC; 17%(3/9) of moderate-differentiated HCC; and 17%(2/6) of poorly-differentiated HCC. There were no relationships between E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression with other clinicopathologic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of cytoplasmic staining of E-cadherin and nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin were observed in HCC. Nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin was not found in well differentiated HCC but was found in poorly differentiated HCC.
Bae
Si Hyun
SH
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jung
Eun Sun
ES
Park
Young Min
YM
Jang
Jeong Won
JW
Choi
Jong Young
JY
Cho
Se Hyun
SH
Yoon
Seung Kew
SK
Ahn
Byung Min
BM
Cha
Sang Bok
SB
Chung
Kyu Won
KW
Sun
Hee Sik
HS
Park
Doo Ho
DH
Kim
Byung Kee
BK
Kim
Dong Goo
DG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin
C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin