title: Nuclear localization of beta-catenin is correlated with the expression of cyclin D1 in endometrial carcinomas.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
authors.forename: Hsien-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Tanri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiozawa
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uchikawa
authors.forename: Yuzhen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kashima
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nikaido
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konishi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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