Silye R, Karayiannakis A J, Syrigos K N, Poole S, van Noorden S, Batchelor W, Regele H, Sega W, Boesmueller H, Krausz T, Pignatelli M
Department of Histopathology, Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine, London, U.K.
J Pathol. 1998 Dec;186(4):350-5. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9896(199812)186:4<350::AID-PATH181>3.0.CO;2-K.
E-cadherin is a calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecule expressed by melanocytes and responsible for their adhesion to keratinocytes in vitro. In this study, the expression of E-cadherin and its associated cytoplasmic proteins alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin was evaluated in melanocytic lesions by immunohistochemistry. E-cadherin expression was evaluated in 70 malignant melanomas and the catenins in 35 of these specimens. Twenty benign melanocytic naevi were also evaluated for E-cadherin and catenin expression. In normal epidermis, E-cadherin/catenin immunostaining was localized at the intercellular borders. In melanomas, a differential loss of E-cadherin expression was observed. Membranous E-cadherin staining was absent in dermal nests of melanomas in their radial growth phase and in Clark level II and III lesions, whereas it was present in a high proportion of melanomas in their vertical growth phase, in Clark level IV and V lesions and in metastasizing melanomas. In contrast, superficial compartments of naevi showed membranous E-cadherin immunoreactivity and junctional naevus cell nests displayed heterogeneous or diffuse cytoplasmic staining. Cytoplasmic alpha- and beta-catenin, but not gamma-catenin staining were detected in all benign and malignant lesions. These findings indicate that qualitative changes in the expression and cellular localization of E-cadherin and of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin occur in melanocytic lesions and may reflect different stages in their progression.
E-钙黏蛋白是一种由黑素细胞表达的钙依赖性细胞间黏附分子，在体外负责黑素细胞与角质形成细胞的黏附。在本研究中，通过免疫组织化学评估了黑素细胞性病变中E-钙黏蛋白及其相关的细胞质蛋白α-、β-和γ-连环蛋白的表达。对70例恶性黑色素瘤中的E-钙黏蛋白表达进行了评估，并对其中35例标本中的连环蛋白进行了评估。还对20例良性黑素细胞痣的E-钙黏蛋白和连环蛋白表达进行了评估。在正常表皮中，E-钙黏蛋白/连环蛋白免疫染色定位于细胞间边界。在黑色素瘤中，观察到E-钙黏蛋白表达的差异性缺失。在处于放射状生长阶段的黑色素瘤真皮巢以及Clark II级和III级病变中，膜性E-钙黏蛋白染色缺失，而在处于垂直生长阶段的黑色素瘤、Clark IV级和V级病变以及转移性黑色素瘤中，有很大比例的黑色素瘤存在膜性E-钙黏蛋白染色。相比之下，痣的浅表部分显示膜性E-钙黏蛋白免疫反应性，交界痣细胞巢显示异质性或弥漫性细胞质染色。在所有良性和恶性病变中均检测到细胞质α-和β-连环蛋白染色，但未检测到γ-连环蛋白染色。这些发现表明，在黑素细胞性病变中，E-钙黏蛋白以及α-、β-和γ-连环蛋白的表达和细胞定位发生了质性变化，可能反映了它们进展的不同阶段。
