The expression of E-cadherin-catenin complex in patients with advanced gastric cancer: role in formation of metastasis.
The E-cadherin-catenin complex plays an important role in the process of cell adhesion. Its dysfunction is associated with a decrease in cell differentiation and with increased invasiveness and metastasis. Our aim was to evaluate the expression of E-cadherin and B-catenin in advanced gastric cancer in relation to selected clinico-pathomorphological parameters. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens were immunohistochemically stained with monoclonal antibodies E-cadherin (NCL-E-Cad, Novocastra Laboratiries Ltd; dilution 1:50), beta-catenin (NCL-B-CAT, Novocastra Laboratories Ltd; dilution 1:100), alpha-catenin (alpha-E-caten, Santa Cruz Biotechnology; dilution 1:300) and gamma-catenin (gamma-catenin, Santa Cruz Biotechnology; dilution 1:100). The expressions of E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenins in the main mass of tumor and lymph node metastasis were investigated in 91 patients with gastric cancer. No statistically significant correlation was observed between the expressions of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-catenins and histological differentiation and between the expressions of E-cadherin, alpha-, gamma-catenins and location or depth of invasion. Moreover, the expression of alpha-, gamma-catenins in the main mass of tumor was not associated with lymph node metastasis. However, we found a relationship between the expression of beta-catenin in the main mass of tumor and lymph node metastasis and tumor location. The depth of invasion was correlated with positive expression of beta-catenin in the main mass of gastric cancer. A statistically significant association was observed between the expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in the main mass of tumor and lymph node involvement. The expression of alpha-catenin in the main mass of tumor was also associated with histological differentiation and Lauren's classification. Statistical analysis showed an association between the expression of E-cadherin and postoperative survival time. No significant correlation was found between the expression of alpha-, beta-, gamma-catenins and survival time. Our results may suggest that the E-cadherin-catenin complex is the factor indicative of metastasis and disease progression in gastric cancer. Also the expression of E-cadherin may play a role as a prognostic factor.
Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland. czyzyk15@op.pl
Jolanta
J
Czyzewska
Katarzyna
K
Guzińska-Ustymowicz
Marek
M
Ustymowicz
Anna
A
Pryczynicz
Andrzej
A
Kemona
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051177:Catenins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D051178:alpha Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism; D051185:gamma Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
D015703:Antigens, CD; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051177:Catenins; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin