title: Involvement of α- and β-catenins and E-cadherin in the development of mammary phyllodes tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Phyllodes tumours (PT) are rare but clinically important fibroepithelial tumours of the breast. β-Catenin, a key component in Wnt signalling, has been shown to be important in the development of PT. It also functions as a component of the cadherin complex, which may therefore be implicated in PT pathogenesis. By assessing stromal α-catenin, β-catenin and E-cadherin expression in 158 PT cases using immunohistochemistry and examining associations with clinicopathological features, we aimed to determine the role of these proteins in PT pathogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cytoplasmic β-catenin correlated with α-catenin expression. A significantly higher expression of both markers was observed in borderline than in benign PT (P = 0.003 and <0.001, respectively), but a lower level was found in malignant PT. Cytoplasmic E-cadherin expression was significantly higher in borderline and malignant than in benign PT (P = 0.001 and 0.012, respectively), but was not correlated with other markers. Both E-cadherin and α-catenin showed stronger correlations with histological parameters than β-catenin. α-Catenin showed a significant correlation with recurrence (P = 0.005 and 0.016, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  α- and β-catenins may be important in the early stages of PT development, while E-cadherin may be required for malignant development. The correlation of α-catenin expression with tumour recurrence may be relevant in predicting PT behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong KongDepartment of Pathology, National University of Singapore, SingaporeTissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, Liverpool Hospital, The University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Julia Y S
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: Christopher C F
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Alex M C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Putti
authors.forename: Rooshdiya Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Scolyer
authors.forename: Cheok Soon
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Puay Hoon
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Tse
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003557:Phyllodes Tumor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D051178:alpha Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051178:alpha Catenin; D051176:beta Catenin