Relationship between expressions of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin and biological behaviors of human pancreatic cancer  

作　　者：Yu-Jun Li Yun-Xiao Meng Xiang-Rui Ji the Department of Pathology. Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China 

出　　处：《Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases International》2003年第2期471-477,共7页国际肝胆胰疾病杂志（英文版）

摘　　要：OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expressions of E-eadherin and alpha-catenin in pancreatic carcinoma and their relationship with biological behaviors, and clarify the mechanism of invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: The expressions of E-eadherin and alpha-catenin was examined in 47 patients with infiltrative ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and 12 specimens of normal pancreatic tissues by immunohistochemical technique (PicTure^(TM) two-step method). Proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was tested as an index of the proliferation degree of pancreatic cancer cells. RESULTS: The immunoreactivity of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin was expressed by normal ductal and acinar cells with strong membranous staining at the intercellular border in 12 specimens of normal pancreatic tissues. The abnormal rate of E-cadherin expression in pancreatic cancer was 53.2% (25/47), and it was significantly related to differentiation, high proliferation degree and lymph node and liver metastases (P<0.O1, 0.05, 0.05 and O.01, respectively). 61.7% patients with pancreatic cancer (29/47) showed abnormal expression of alpha-catenin. There was a good correlation among alpha-catenin expression, histological grade, and lymph node and liver metastases (P<0.05, 0.05 and 0.01, respectively). No significant association was found among abnormal expressions of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin, tumor size, invasion, and 1-year survival rate of patients ( P>0.05, all). There was a positive relationship between the expressions of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin in the 47 patients with pancreatic cancer (P<O.O1, r=0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer likely occurs in case of the inactivation of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin genes and abnormal expression of proteins, which significantly correlate with tumorigenesis, proliferation, differentiation, and lymph node or liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer.OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expressions of E-eadherin and alpha-catenin in pancreatic carcinoma and their relationship with biological behaviors, and clarify the mechanism of invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: The expressions of E-eadherin and alpha-catenin was examined in 47 patients with infiltrative ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and 12 specimens of normal pancreatic tissues by immunohistochemical technique (PicTure^(TM) two-step method). Proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was tested as an index of the proliferation degree of pancreatic cancer cells. RESULTS: The immunoreactivity of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin was expressed by normal ductal and acinar cells with strong membranous staining at the intercellular border in 12 specimens of normal pancreatic tissues. The abnormal rate of E-cadherin expression in pancreatic cancer was 53.2% (25/47), and it was significantly related to differentiation, high proliferation degree and lymph node and liver metastases (P<0.O1, 0.05, 0.05 and O.01, respectively). 61.7% patients with pancreatic cancer (29/47) showed abnormal expression of alpha-catenin. There was a good correlation among alpha-catenin expression, histological grade, and lymph node and liver metastases (P<0.05, 0.05 and 0.01, respectively). No significant association was found among abnormal expressions of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin, tumor size, invasion, and 1-year survival rate of patients ( P>0.05, all). There was a positive relationship between the expressions of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin in the 47 patients with pancreatic cancer (P<O.O1, r=0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer likely occurs in case of the inactivation of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin genes and abnormal expression of proteins, which significantly correlate with tumorigenesis, proliferation, differentiation, and lymph node or liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer.

关 键 词：pancreatic neoplasms CADHERIN CATENIN METASTASES prognosis IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY 

分 类 号：R735.9[医药卫生—肿瘤]