Cadherin and catenin expression in mucoepidermoid carcinoma: correlation with histopathologic grade, clinical stage, and patient outcome.
BACKGROUND
Alteration of cadherin and catenin expression is associated with loss of differentiation, acquisition of an invasive phenotype, and poor prognosis in many types of cancers. The roles of cadherins and catenins in mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) are not fully understood.


METHODS
Based on immunohistochemical studies, the expressions of E-, N-, and P-cadherins and alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenins in MEC were investigated, and correlations with clinicopathologic parameters were evaluated.


RESULTS
These six molecules were strongly expressed in normal ductal epithelium but increased or decreased immunoreactivities of those proteins in MEC were frequently observed, especially for E-cadherin and alpha-catenin. The immunoactivity of beta-catenin showed significant correlation with grade (P = 0.05) and stage (P < 0.0001). beta-Catenin expressions are also correlated with gamma-catenin expression (P = 0.006) according to cross-table analysis. Survival analysis indicated that stage, grade, and beta-catenin expressions had significant correlation with survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant beta-catenin expression may play an important role in the histologic differentiation and tumor staging of MEC.
Shieh
Yi-Shing
YS
Graduate Institute of Life Science, School of Dentistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan.
Chang
Long-Chang
LC
Chiu
Kuo-Chou
KC
Wu
Cheng-Wen
CW
Lee
Herng-Sheng
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051180:Desmoplakins; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018298:Mucoepidermoid Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin
C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D051180:Desmoplakins; C495292:JUP protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin