Ohene-Abuakwa Y, Noda M, Perenyi M, Kobayashi N, Kashima K, Hattori T, Pignatelli M
Division of Histopathology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Bristol, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol, UK.
J Pathol. 2000 Dec;192(4):433-9. doi: 10.1002/1096-9896(2000)9999:9999<::AID-PATH723>3.0.CO;2-V.
E-cadherin and its associated cytoplasmic proteins, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenins, play an essential role in the control of epithelial differentiation. We have previously shown that loss or down-regulation of E-cadherin/catenin correlates with poor survival in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of E-cadherin and catenins in early gastric cancers (EGCs). Immunohistochemical staining for E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenins was performed on 41 paraffin-embedded gastrectomy specimens of EGC using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. The pattern of expression and cellular localization of the E-cadherin/catenin complex in tumour cells were correlated with the macroscopic appearance of the tumour according to the Japanese Endoscopic Society classification. The tumours were classified as follows: three type I (protruding) and 38 type II (superficial), of which ten were type IIa (elevated), one was type IIb (flat), and 27 were type IIc (depressed). E-cadherin and alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenins were expressed at the cell-cell junctions in normal mucosa. Forty out of 41 tumours showed abnormal expression (loss of membranous immunoreactivity and/or nuclear staining) of at least one component of the E-cadherin catenin complex. Loss of E-cadherin immunoreactivity was more frequently seen in type IIb (1/1, 100%) and type IIc (27/27, 100%) than in type I (1/3, 33%) and type IIa (1/10, 10%) (p<0.01). Abnormal expression of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin was more frequently seen in diffuse-type than in intestinal type tumours (p<0.05). Abnormal immunoreactivity of beta- and gamma-catenin, including nuclear localization, was observed in 34% and 7.3% of tumours, respectively, but there was no significant correlation with tumour type or endoscopic appearance. In conclusion, abnormal expression of the E-cadherin/catenin complex occurs in EGC and seems to correlate with macroscopic appearances.
E-钙黏蛋白及其相关的细胞质蛋白α-、β-和γ-连环蛋白在控制上皮分化中起重要作用。我们之前已经表明，E-钙黏蛋白/连环蛋白的缺失或下调与晚期胃腺癌的不良预后相关。本研究的目的是评估E-钙黏蛋白和连环蛋白在早期胃癌（EGC）中的表达。使用间接免疫过氧化物酶技术对41例EGC石蜡包埋胃切除标本进行E-钙黏蛋白和α-、β-、γ-连环蛋白的免疫组织化学染色。根据日本内镜学会分类，肿瘤细胞中E-钙黏蛋白/连环蛋白复合物的表达模式和细胞定位与肿瘤的宏观外观相关。肿瘤分类如下：3例I型（隆起型）和38例II型（浅表型），其中10例为IIa型（隆起型），1例为IIb型（平坦型），27例为IIc型（凹陷型）。E-钙黏蛋白和α-、β-、γ-连环蛋白在正常黏膜的细胞间连接处表达。41例肿瘤中有40例显示E-钙黏蛋白连环蛋白复合物的至少一种成分异常表达（膜免疫反应性丧失和/或核染色）。E-钙黏蛋白免疫反应性丧失在IIb型（1/1，100%）和IIc型（27/27，100%）中比在I型（1/3，33%）和IIa型（1/10，10%）中更常见（p<0.01）。E-钙黏蛋白和α-连环蛋白的异常表达在弥漫型肿瘤中比在肠型肿瘤中更常见（p<0.05）。β-和γ-连环蛋白的异常免疫反应性，包括核定位，分别在34%和7.3%的肿瘤中观察到，但与肿瘤类型或内镜表现无显著相关性。总之，E-钙黏蛋白/连环蛋白复合物的异常表达发生在EGC中，似乎与宏观外观相关。
