title: Nuclear localization of E-cadherin but not beta-catenin in human ovarian granulosa cell tumours and normal ovarian follicles and ovarian stroma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of misregulated Wnt/beta-catenin signalling in human ovarian granulosa cell tumour (GCT) has not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to confirm subcellular localization of key molecules of Wnt signalling (beta-catenin and E-cadherin) in human ovarian GCTs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tissue samples taken from 32 human ovarian GCTs and 19 human normal ovaries containing 68 follicles were stained immunohistochemically using monoclonal anti-beta-catenin and anti-E-cadherin antibodies. None of the 32 GCTs and none of the 68 ovarian follicles showed beta-catenin nuclear expression (0%). On the other hand, 28 of 32 GCTs (88%) and 53 of 68 normal ovarian follicles (78%) showed nuclear expression of E-cadherin in granulosa cells. The ovarian stroma in all 19 normal ovaries showed nuclear expression of E-cadherin but not beta-catenin. Membranous and cytoplasmic expression was observed variously in ovarian GCT, follicles and stroma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have confirmed frequent nuclear localization of E-cadherin but not beta-catenin in human ovarian GCT, ovarian follicles and stroma. There is no evidence of misregulated Wnt/beta-catenin signalling (represented by nuclear expression of beta-catenin) in human ovarian GCT. Nuclear translocation of E-cadherin might contribute to ovarian folliculogenesis or granulosa/stromal cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. yohishi@surgpath.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohishi
authors.forename: Yoshinao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurihara
authors.forename: Tsunehisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaku
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wake
authors.forename: Masazumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuneyoshi
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006106:Granulosa Cell Tumor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin