Differential expression of neural-cadherin in pulmonary epithelial tumours.
OBJECTIVE
Neural (N)-cadherin belongs to a group of transmembrane molecules with a crucial role in tissue morphogenesis and maintenance of an epithelioid phenotype and increased N-cadherin expression is implicated in tumour progression and dedifferentiation. The aim was to determine whether evaluation of N-cadherin in pulmonary tumours might assist in identifying lesions with more aggressive potential.


RESULTS
One hundred and fifty-five pulmonary lesions were analysed for N-cadherin expression using immunohistochemistry, including neuroendocrine hyperplasia (n = 3), typical carcinoid (n = 59), atypical carcinoid (n = 12), small cell lung carcinoma (n = 11), large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (n = 12), adenocarcinoma (n = 35) and squamous cell carcinoma (n = 23). Lymph node status was correlated with immunohistochemical expression. N-cadherin expression was demonstrated in all cases of neuroendocrine hyperplasia, 96% of typical carcinoids, 83% of atypical carcinoids, 63% of the small cell lung carcinomas and 32% of large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. Over 90% of the adenocarcinomas and 100% of the squamous cell carcinomas were negative. Increased N-cadherin expression in typical carcinoids was associated with negative lymph node status (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
N-cadherin is differentially expressed in pulmonary tumours and is predominantly observed in neuroendocrine lung lesions with high expression in typical and atypical pulmonary carcinoids. The level of expression of N-cadherin between types of lung tumours does not appear to indicate malignant potential or aggressive behaviour.
Zynger
D L
DL
Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. d-zynger@md.northwestern.edu
Dimov
N D
ND
Ho
L C
LC
Laskin
W B
WB
Yeldandi
A V
AV
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins