title: Canonical and noncanonical Wnt pathways: a comparison between endometrial cancer type I and atrophic endometrium in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Wnt pathway is involved in tumorigenesis of several tissues. For this reason, we proposed to evaluate Wnt gene expression in endometrial cancer type I.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study on materials gathered from the tissue bank of the Department of Pathology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometrial specimens were obtained from surgeries performed between 1995 and 2005 at São Paulo Hospital, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. The material was divided into two groups according to tissue type: Group A, atrophic endometrium (n = 15); and Group B, endometrial adenocarcinoma (n = 45). We compared the immunohistochemical expression of Wnt1, Frizzled-1 (FZD1), Wnt5a, Frizzled-5 (FZD5) and beta-catenin between endometrial cancer type I and atrophic endometrium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding Wnt1, FZD1 and Wnt5a expression, no significant association was observed between the groups. A significant association was observed between the groups in relation to FZD5 expression (P = 0.001). The proportion of FZD5-positive samples was significantly higher in group A (80.0%) than in group B (31.1%). Regarding the survival curve for FZD5 in group B, we did not find any significant association between atrophic endometrium and endometrial adenocarcinoma. We also did not find any significant association regarding beta-catenin expression (P = 1.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FZD5 is downregulated in endometrial adenocarcinoma, in comparison with atrophic endometrium.
authors: Gynecological Oncology Sector, Department of Gynecology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo-Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil. marinapnogueira@yahoo.com.br
authors: Marina de Pádua Nogueira
authors: Mde P
authors: Menezes
authors: Celina Tizuko Fujiyama
authors: CT
authors: Oshima
authors: Levon Badiglian
authors: LB
authors: Filho
authors: Thiago Simão
authors: TS
authors: Gomes
authors: Luis Fernando Mesias
authors: LF
authors: Barrezueta
authors: João Norberto
authors: JN
authors: Stávale
authors: Wagner José
authors: WJ
authors: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D051157:Frizzled Receptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000502:physiology*; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C489740:FZD1 protein, human; C498589:FZD5 protein, human; D051157:Frizzled Receptors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C085389:WNT5A protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; D051176:beta Catenin