[Relationship between expression of cell adhesion molecules and metastatic potential in invasive micropapillary carcinoma of breast].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of cell adhesion molecules and Their significance in invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) of the breast.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical study for E-cadherin was performed on 64 cases of IMPC and 57 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).


RESULTS
E-cadherin was mainly expressed on the cell membrane of tumor cells. The expression of E-cadherin in IMPC (85.9%, 55/64) was significantly higher than that in IDC (43.9%, 25/57). E-cadherin expressed in the intercellular contact surface of IMPC cells. In contrast, it was weakly positive/not expressed on the outer membranous surface of the tumor clusters in IMPC. The rate of lymph node metastasis in IMPC (85.9%, 55/64) was significantly higher than that in IDC (52.6%, 30/57), the rate of alpha-catenin and beta-catenin coexpression in IMPC (45.1%, 26/51) with lymph node metastasis and E-cadherin normal expression was also significantly higher than that in IDC (15.4%, 2/13).


CONCLUSIONS
Weak cell adhesion molecule expression on the outer surface of IMPC cell clusters, in contrast to strong cohesion in intercellular contact surface, may help to explain the high metastatic potential of this type of breast cancer.
Fan
Yu
Y
Department of Breast Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China.
Lang
Rong-gang
RG
Wang
Ying
Y
Sun
Bao-cun
BC
Fu
Li
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin
C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin