Relationship between beta-catenin expression and epithelial cell proliferation in gastric mucosa with intestinal metaplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate beta-catenin expression in patients with intestinal metaplasia, and to look for a possible relationship between beta-catenin expression and either epithelial proliferation values or Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection.


METHODS
Twenty patients with complete type intestinal metaplasia were studied. beta-Catenin expression and epithelial cell proliferation in antral mucosa were assessed using an immunohistochemical analysis. H pylori infection was detected by histology and a rapid urease test.


RESULTS
Reduced beta-catenin expression on the surface of metaplastic cells was detected in 13 (65%) out of 20 patients. Moreover, in eight (40%) patients intranuclear expression of beta-catenin was found. When patients were analyzed according to H pylori infection, the prevalence of both beta-catenin reduction at the cell surface and its intranuclear localization did not significantly differ between infected and uninfected patients. Cell proliferation was higher in patients with intranuclear beta-catenin expression as compared to the remaining patients, although the difference failed to reach the statistical significance (36+/-8.9 vs 27.2+/-11.4, P = 0.06). On the contrary, a similar cell proliferation value was observed between patients with reduced expression of beta-catenin on cell surface and those with a normal expression (28.1+/-11.8 vs 26.1+/-8.8, P = 0.7). H pylori infection significantly increased cell proliferation (33.3+/-10.2% vs 24.6+/-7.4%, respectively, P = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Both cell surface reduction and intranuclear accumulation of beta-catenin were detected in intestinal metaplasia. The intranuclear localization of beta-catenin increases cell proliferation. H pylori infection does not seem to play a direct role in beta-catenin alterations, whilst it significantly increases cell proliferation.
Romiti
Adriana
A
Medical Oncology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Zullo
Angelo
A
Borrini
Francesco
F
Sarcina
Ida
I
Hassan
Cesare
C
Winn
Simon
S
Tomao
Silverio
S
Vecchione
Aldo
A
Morini
Sergio
S
Mingazzini
Pietro
P
D000368:Aged; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin
C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin