title: Abnormal distribution of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in different histologic types of cancer of the uterine cervix.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to analyze the cellular distribution and possible alterations of beta-catenin and E-cadherin proteins in different histologic types of uterine cervical cancer and precursor lesions, compared to normal controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed an immunochemical staining analysis of the cellular distribution of beta-catenin and E-cadherin proteins in biopsy samples from 20 normal exocervical squamous epithelium, 43 premalignant lesions, and a large series of 126 invasive tumors of different histologic types that included 68 squamous carcinomas, 31 adenosquamous carcinomas, and 27 adenocarcinomas. Statistical significance was evaluated by the chi-square or Fisher's Exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed beta-catenin abnormally distributed in the cytoplasm of 62% of premalignant lesions and more than 70% of invasive cancers, statistically significant when compared with normal tissue (P < 0.05). Similarly, we found that E-cadherin exhibit a significant abnormal distribution in the cytoplasm of 58% of premalignant lesions (P < 0.05) and in more than 71% of squamous carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma when compared with normal tissue (P < 0.05). We found no differences in the distribution of E-cadherin between adenocarcinomas compared with control samples. Interestingly, we found that both, beta-catenin and E-cadherin, were absent in the membrane of nearly 40% premalignant lesions. Nuclear staining of beta-catenin was rarely seen in any cases, contrary to what has been reported for this and other neoplasias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that cellular alterations of both beta-catenin and E-cadherin are frequent in tumors of the uterine cervix of different histologic types, and support a role for these proteins in cervical cancer development.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas-UNAM, México D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: María Alexandra
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Sastre
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González-Maya
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lizano
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsubaki
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohar
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Carrancá
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin