title: Immunolocalisation of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in human pterygium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The pterygium represents an invasion of a wing of altered ocular surface tissue into the normal cornea. The head itself is slightly elevated and white, which is the only site of firm adhesion to the globe. The mechanisms of cell proliferation and adhesion in pterygium epithelium, however, are unknown. The aim of this study was to analyse the expression of cell adhesion molecules in pterygium tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six pterygia were surgically removed using the bare-sclera procedure, and two normal corneas and a normal bulbar conjunctiva were also obtained. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were analysed by immunohistochemistry with anti-E-cadherin and beta-catenin antibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunoreactivity for E-cadherin was not detected in the normal cornea and conjunctiva. In contrast, all corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells showed a weak homogeneous immunoreaction for beta-catenin on the cell membrane. In the pterygium head, the thickness was relatively marked compared with the body, and normal conjunctival and corneal epithelia. E-cadherin as well as beta-catenin was heterogeneously expressed in the cell membrane and cytoplasm of a variety of epithelial cells, whereas the expression was less marked in the body. Several epithelial cells showed intense nuclear immunoreactivity for beta-catenin. Immunoreactivity of beta-catenin, but not E-cadherin, was detected in only a few stromal cells, which were less marked than in epithelial cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is suggested that E-cadherin and beta-catenin are concentrated in pterygium tissue, and are possibly involved with epithelial proliferation and adhesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sapporo Social Insurance General Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. kaseron@med.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kase
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osaki
authors.forename: Izuru
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011625:Pterygium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin