Sequential analysis of cadherin expression in a 4-year-old girl with intracranial ependymoma.
BACKGROUND
Cadherins are Ca(2+)-dependent cell-to-cell adhesion molecules that play an important role in tissue construction and morphogenesis in multicellular organisms. Cadherin involvement in tumor metastasis has recently been reported.


METHODS
We investigated the expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin in paraffin-embedded sequential surgical specimens and autopsy specimens from a 4-year-old girl with recurrent ependymoma, subsequent to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dissemination. We observed low expression of E-cadherin in all surgical specimens and autopsy specimens. In contrast, expression of N-cadherin was high in all surgical specimens, but was decreased in autopsy specimens.


CONCLUSIONS
Decreased expression of N-cadherin may be associated with CSF dissemination and may serve as a useful marker for CSF dissemination in patients with intracranial ependymoma.
Yokoi
Kentaro
K
Department of Pediatrics, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.
Akiyama
Masaharu
M
Yanagisawa
Takaaki
T
Takahashi-Fujigasaki
Junko
J
Yokokawa
Yuichi
Y
Mikami-Terao
Yoko
Y
Fukuoka
Kohei
K
Fujisawa
Kohji
K
Nakazaki
Hiromichi
H
Oi
Shizuo
S
Eto
Yoshikatsu
Y
Yamada
Hisashi
H
D001344:Autopsy; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004805:Ependyma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D015820:Cadherins