Immunohistochemical assessment of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in trichofolliculomas and trichoepitheliomas.
BACKGROUND
Trichofolliculomas and trichoepitheliomas are benign skin neoplasms originating from hair follicle cells. They result from defects in the signaling pathways that regulate hair follicle morphogenesis and regeneration. Thus they seem to be an excellent model of these processes. It is known that the E-cadherin/beta-catenin system of adhesion molecules plays a crucial role in the maintenance of tissue architecture.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate their involvement in benign hair follicle tumor development.


METHODS
Semiquantitative intensity of expression were examined in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 53 trichoepitheliomas, 15 trichofolliculomas and 19 normal skin samples by indirect immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
The intensity of E-cadherin/beta-catenin expression in tumor cells did not differ from controls. However, normal hair follicles cells exhibited membranous E-cadherin/beta-catenin expression, whereas both types of tumors, particularly trichoepitheliomas, showed E-cadherin/beta-catenin expression with a predominantly cytoplasmic localization.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that this dystopic distribution of the E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex in hair follicle tumor cells may be a marker of cell-cell adhesion disruption which may contribute to the tumor formation.
Bezdekova
Michala
M
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic. mfiuraskova@seznam.cz
Brychtova
Svetlana
S
Sedlakova
Eva
E
Steigerova
Jana
J
Hlobilkova
Alice
A
Bienova
Martina
M
Kucerova
Renata
R
Brychta
Tomas
T
Krejci
Veronika
V
Kolar
Zdenek
Z
D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018295:Neoplasms, Basal Cell / Q000737:chemistry*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis*
D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin