title: Nuclear translocation of β-catenin synchronized with loss of E-cadherin in oral epithelial dysplasia with a characteristic two-phase appearance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the important histopathological characteristics of oral epithelial dysplasia is a two-phase appearance of rete processes, comprising an upper layer of keratinized cells and a lower layer of basaloid cells, and thereby creating a sharp contrast between these two separate cell populations. The aim of this study was to determine the cellular adhesion status of the basaloid cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemistry for β-catenin, E-cadherin and their related molecules was carried out in surgical specimens of two-phase epithelial dysplasia of the oral mucosa. The lower-half basaloid cells and the upper keratinized cells were microdissected separately, and extracted DNA samples were subjected to methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction amplification for E-cadherin. β-Catenin was immunolocalized within the nuclei and cytoplasm of Ki67-positive lower-half basaloid cells, as well as on the cell membrane of upper parakeratotic cells. The basaloid cells of the lower-half were also positive for matrix metalloproteinase-7 and cyclin D1, β-catenin target gene products, α-dystroglycan, tenascin-C, and perlecan, but not for E-cadherin. The promoter region of the E-cadherin gene was hypermethylated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The solid proliferation of lower-half E-cadherin-free basaloid cells is enhanced by Wnt signalling cascades, as well as by the intraepithelial extracellular matrix or its bound growth factors.
authors: Division of Oral Pathology, Department of Tissue Regeneration and Reconstruction, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Japan.
authors: Carlos G
authors: CG
authors: Alvarado
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Maruyama
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Cheng
authors: Hiroko
authors: H
authors: Ida-Yonemochi
authors: Takanori
authors: T
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Manabu
authors: M
authors: Yamazaki
authors: Ritsuo
authors: R
authors: Takagi
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Saku
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005784:Gene Amplification; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin