title: Immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in ameloblastomas and tooth germs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to analyze the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in ameloblastomas and tooth germs to determine their roles in cell differentiation processes and invasiveness compared with odontogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one ameloblastoma cases (16 solid and 5 unicystic tumors) and 5 tooth germs were submitted to the immunohistochemical detection of E-cadherin and beta-catenin. Immunoreactivity was evaluated using descriptive and semiquantitative analysis, investigating the location and intensity of staining. The Fisher exact test was performed, and P values of <.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin between solid and unicystic ameloblastomas (P = .59; P = .63; respectively). The same was found when comparing solid and unicystic ameloblastomas with the tooth germs for both E-cadherin (P = .53; P = .44; respectively) and beta-catenin (P = .12; P = .16; respectively). Nuclear staining of beta-catenin was observed in only 4 cases (3 solid and 1 unicystic tumor).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed no differences in the expression of E-cadherin or beta-catenin between tooth germs and solid and unicystic ameloblastomas. The expression of these molecules seems mainly to be related to the process of cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduate Program, Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karuza Maria
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Alves Pereira
authors.forename: Bruna Aguiar
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: do Amaral
authors.forename: Bruna Rafaela Martins
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Hébel Cavalcanti
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Roseana de Almeida
authors.initials: Rde A
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Lélia Batista
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: de Souza
mesh_terms: D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin