title: Expression of E-cadherin in angiomyolipoma.
abstract: Angiomyolipoma is the most common member of perivascular epithelioid cell tumors that characteristically express myogenic and melanocytic markers. E-cadherin is a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule that is repressed in epithelial to mesenchymal transition occurring in carcinomas. E-cadherin has not, thus far, been systematically studied in angiomyolipoma. We analyzed a series of 42 angiomyolipomas with E-cadherin and discussed its clinicopathologic significance. Forty-two cases of angiomyolipomas (35 renal, 5 hepatic, and 2 retroperitoneal) were examined histologically. E-cadherin was investigated immunohistochemically and compared with other significant markers found in angiomyolipoma in all cases. The percentages of tumors staining positively were E-cadherin (98%), smooth muscle actin (98%), actin (93%), HMB-45 (93%), Melan-A (90%), S-100 (38%), and CD117 (60%). The intensity of E-cadherin staining was moderate to strong in 30 cases (71%). E-cadherin stained both the cytoplasm and cell membrane of tumor cells, but membrane staining was stronger in the epithelioid tumor cells than in the spindle-shaped tumor cells. E-cadherin may serve as an additional diagnostic marker for angiomyolipoma. Angiomyolipoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of E-cadherin-positive tumors. Stronger membrane immunoreactivity for E-cadherin in epithelioid tumor cells is possibly related to constitution of their epithelioid architecture, but the pathogenetic significance of E-cadherin in angiomyolipoma remains to be further studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qixing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Qinhe
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018207:Angiomyolipoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015622:Epithelioid Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins