Nuclear localization of beta-catenin is correlated with the expression of cyclin D1 in endometrial carcinomas.
BACKGROUND
beta-catenin has recently been reported to act as a cell growth promoter through cyclin D1 transcription. However, the correlation between beta-catenin and cyclin D1 expressions is not fully understood in endometrial tissues.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical expression of beta-catenin was examined in normal endometria (32 cases) and endometrial carcinomas (82 cases), and its expression was compared with that of cyclins (D1, E, A, B1).


RESULTS
Sporadic nuclear staining of beta-catenin and cyclins was observed from proliferative phase of early secretory phase endometria, however, spacial correlations between beta-catenin and cyclins were not evident. In endometrial carcinomas, positivity for nuclear beta-catenin and cyclins increased compared to the normal endometria. Topologically, the cyclin D1-positive cells were frequently found in nuclear beta-catenin-positive cells. In addition, Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed that the nuclear expression of beta-catenin correlated positively with that of cyclin D1 (p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The beta-catenin-cyclin D1 pathway might be involved in the growth of endometrial carcinomas.
Shih
Hsien-Chang
HC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
Shiozawa
Tanri
T
Miyamoto
Tsutomu
T
Uchikawa
Junko
J
Feng
Yuzhen
Y
Kashima
Hiroyasu
H
Nikaido
Toshio
T
Konishi
Ikuo
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin
C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin; D019938:Cyclin D1