title: [Leukemia cell surface expression of E-cadherin and its correlation with membrane localization of beta-catenin].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of cell surface E-cadherin in leukemia cell and the correlation of cell membrane localization of beta-catenin with E-cadherin expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bone marrow samples from 46 patients with acute leukemia and 17 normal donors were analyzed. Cell surface expression of E-cadherin and membrane localization of beta-catenin were labeled by immunofluorescence and analyzed with a laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscope in 14 specimens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cell surface E-cadherin expression level was significantly lower in leukemia cells (with the median fluorescent intensity of 16.78) than in normal hematopoietic progenitors (26.03). Correlation analysis showed that cell membrane localization of beta-catenin was correlated with E-cadherin expression (r = 0.74, P = 0.002). After E-cadherin was induced to express in leukemic cell by 5-Aza-CdR, membranous expression of beta-catenin was elevated while the nuclear expression reduced, indicating that E-cadherin-mediated adhesions could recruit beta-catenin to cell membrane.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The loss of E-cadherin in leukemia cells may result in beta-catenin translocating to the nuclear and transcriptional activation of its target genes.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Zhi-Fang
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ji-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Ke-Jing
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Xiang
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin