title: Beta-catenin and E-cadherin expression in salivary gland tumors.
abstract: This study evaluated the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in salivary gland tumors. Twelve biopsy specimens from cases diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma, 17 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 10 epithelial-myoepithelial carcinomas, and 4 polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinomas were immunohistochemically labeled for E-cadherin and beta-catenin antibodies. Healthy salivary glands were used as controls. Membrane-associated E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression was present in all the tumor types studied. E-cadherin and beta-catenin showed a similar distribution; however, beta-catenin labeling was weaker than that for E-cadherin. In the epithelial-myoepithelial carcinomas, myoepithelial cells exhibited diffuse nuclear staining, although occasional cells presented only focal labeling. Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinomas present changes in [.beta]-catenin expression but the other salivary tumors studied do not, which may reflect divergence in tumorigenesis of this extensive subset of salivary gland tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, São Leopoldo Mandic Dental Research Institute, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furuse
authors.forename: Patricia Ramos
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Cury
authors.forename: Albina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altemani
authors.forename: Décio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: dos Santos Pinto
authors.forename: Ney Soares
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.forename: Vera Cavalcanti
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: de Araújo
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009208:Myoepithelioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin