Immunoexpression of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition Proteins E-Cadherin, β-Catenin, and N-Cadherin in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Aims Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial process for acquisition of malignant phenotype, aggressiveness, and metastatic capacity in neoplasms. It is characterized by loss of epithelial markers and gain of mesenchymal markers. Studies on EMT and its potential association with the histological grading are sparse in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aims to evaluate the expression of EMT-associated proteins-E-cadherin, β-catenin, and N-cadherin-in different grades of OSCC. Methodology In all, 60 cases of OSCC further subdivided into 20 cases each of well-, moderately, and poorly differentiated OSCCs were stained immunohistochemically with E-cadherin, β-catenin, and N-cadherin antibodies. The differences in the expression were evaluated using χ2and Fisher exact tests, whereas Spearman's correlation was used to analyze the correlation between the markers. Results A reduced E-cadherin expression noted in 40% of the OSCCs was associated with reduced β-catenin expression in 66.6% of the cases and increase in the expression of mesenchymal N-cadherin seen in 80% of cases. This expression pattern demonstrated a significant association with histological grades. A membrane to cytoplasmic shift of E-cadherin (73.3%) and β-catenin (78.3%) increased with histological grade. A negative correlation was observed with the E-cadherin and N-cadherin localization, though it did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion OSCC tissues had high levels of EMT phenotype as compared with the normal oral mucosa. This phenotype was characterized by reduced E-cadherin and β-catenin expression and overexpression of N-cadherin. Aberrant localization of the studied proteins was a hallmark for depicting EMT.
KLE University's VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India punnya_angadi@rediffmail.com.
Punnya V
PV
Angadi
AC Patil Memorial Medical College, Dhule, Maharashtra.
Prakash V
PV
Patil
KLE University's VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
Vidya
V
Angadi
KLE University's VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
Deepa
D
Mane
KLE University's VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
Saurabh
S
Shekar
KLE University's VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
Seema
S
Hallikerimath
KLE University's VK Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
Alka D
AD
Kale
KLE University's JN Medical College, Belgaum, Karnataka, India.
S G
SG
Kardesai
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D051176:beta Catenin
E-cadherin; N-cadherin; epithelial mesenchymal transition; immunohistochemistry; oral squamous cell carcinoma; β-catenin