title: [Expressions of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin in benign, malignant and metastatic prostate tumors].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expressions of E-cadherin (E-cd) and alpha-catenin (alpha-cat) proteins in benign and malignant prostate tumors, and determine whether they could be used as molecular markers for the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa).
  
  
  METHODS
  We detected the expressions of E-cd and alpha-cat in the prostatic tissues from 45 cases of PCa and 10 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by immunohistochemical Elivision staining, and analyzed the relationships of E-cd and alpha-cat expressions with the PCa stage, PCa grade, preoperative PSA, results of endocrine therapy and prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The E-cd protein was abnormally expressed in 86.7% of the PCa and 10.0% of the PSA patients, and the E-cd expression was significantly lower in the former than in the latter (P < 0.05). The abnormal expressions of E-cd in the PCa patients with metastasis, non-metastasis, Gleason score < or = 7 and > 7 were 85.0, 87.5, 100.0 and 86.7%, respectively, with no significant between-group differences (P > 0.05), those in the PCa patients with PSA < or = 10 and > 10 microg/L were 40.0 and 97.1%, respectively, significantly higher in the former than in the latter (P < 0.05), and those in the PCa patients with and without response to endocrine therapy were 93.8 and 72.7%, respectively, with no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). The alpha-cat protein was abnormally expressed in 93.3% of the PCa and 30.0% of the BPH patients, respectively, and the alpha-cat expression was significantly lower in the former than in the latter (P < 0.05). The abnormal alpha-cat expressions in the PCa patients with metastasis, non-metastasis, Gleason score > 7 and < or = 7 were 90.0, 100.0, 90.0 and 100.0%, respectively, with no significant between-group differences (P > 0.05), those in the PCa patients with PSA < or = 10 and > 10 microg/L were 40.0 and 94.3%, respectively, significantly higher in the former than in the latter (P < 0.05), and those in the PCa patients with and without response to endocrine therapy were 100.0 and 81.8%, respectively, with no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expressions of E-cd and alpha-cat are significantly lower in PCa than in BPH, and they are not associated with cancerous metastasis, but negatively correlated with the PSA level in PCa patients.
authors: Department of Urology, The First Hospital Affiliated to Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116011, China.
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Jiang
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Jiang
authors: Xiao-Ming
authors: XM
authors: Su
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zheng
authors: Quan-Lin
authors: QL
authors: Li
authors: Zhi-Wei
authors: ZW
authors: Zhang
authors: Xian-Cheng
authors: XC
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051178:alpha Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; C495273:CTNNA1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051178:alpha Catenin