title: E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression patterns in malignant melanoma assessed by image analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in melanoma. Both proteins are components of adherens junctions but also play signalling roles in the wnt signal transduction pathway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy malignant melanomas were analysed by immunohistochemistry and evaluated by image analysis as staining density, i.e. light permeability (LP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of mean values of relative LP for E-cadherin and beta-catenin in tumor tissue shows that levels of E-cadherin protein are significantly lower (259.67-116.23; t=22.7; p=0.000). The comparison of mean values of the relative LP of E-cadherin in melanoma to the LP in the adjacent normal skin also shows that the expression of E-cadherin in tumor is significantly lower (256.06-169.87; t=11.55, p=0.000). beta-catenin was observed in the cytoplasm in 30.6% of patients, in 24.2% in the cell membrane, in 21% in both the cytoplasm and membrane, in 1.6% in the membrane and nucleus and in 4.8% in the cytoplasm and nucleus, whereas in 17.7% of patients beta-catenin could not be observed. Patients with Clark 4 and 5 had significantly less beta-catenin than patients with Clark 2 and 3 (chi2=12.854; p=0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in E-cadherin and beta-catenin levels have important roles in melanoma and could be used as molecular markers of disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Croatian Institute for brain research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. nina@mef.hr
authors.forename: Nives
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pećina-Slaus
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zigmund
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kusec
authors.forename: Tamara Nikuseva
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Martić
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cacić
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slaus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin