title: Sequential analysis of cadherin expression in a 4-year-old girl with intracranial ependymoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yanagisawa
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takahashi-Fujigasaki
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokokawa
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mikami-Terao
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: Hiromichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakazaki
authors.forename: Shizuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oi
authors.forename: Yoshikatsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eto
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins