title: [Expression patterns of E-cadherin and beta-catenin according to clinicopathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Si Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Eun Sun
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jeong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jong Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Se Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seung Kew
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Byung Min
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Sang Bok
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Kyu Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hee Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Doo Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Byung Kee
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Goo
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin