Expression of E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p120ctn in the pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma.
BACKGROUND
The major two types of cells in pulmonary sclerosing hemangiomas (PSH) may be not equally maturity, but this viewpoint needs more evidences.


OBJECTIVE
To determine E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p120(ctn) expression phenotype in cuboidal and polygonal cells, which are the two major cell types in pulmonary sclerosing hemangiomas.


METHODS
Specimens were obtained from 25 patients with PSH and 8 patients with pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumors. The expression levels of E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p120(ctn) were detected using a streptavidin peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemical method.


RESULTS
E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p120(ctn) were expressed strongly on the cuboidal cell membranes, while beta-catenin was also expressed the cuboid cytoplams in 25 PSH patients. However, in the polygonal cell membranes, the expression levels of these molecules were decreased, and mainly cytoplamic. Specifically, E-cadherin, beta-catenin and p120(ctn) were expressed in both the cytoplasm and on the cell membranes in the intracavitary lining cells of the hemorrhagic regions. The expression phenotype in proliferating type II pneumocytes in the eight pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumors was similar to that in the cuboidal cells in PSH patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The cuboidal cells, resembling inflammatory proliferative type II pneumocytes, display several characteristics of epithelial cells, including normal expression of E-cadherin and catenin. Comparatively, polygonal cells are not as mature as cuboidal cells and lack of expression of E-cadherin and catenin.
Dai
Shun-Dong
SD
Department of Pathology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
Zhang
Xiu-Wei
XW
Qi
Feng-Jie
FJ
Xu
Hong-Tao
HT
Wang
En-Hua
EH
D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016726:Plasma Cell Granuloma, Pulmonary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D047868:Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000095002:Delta Catenin
D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D000095002:Delta Catenin; C000722347:CTNND1 protein, human