Genelhu Marisa C L S, Gobbi Helenice, Arantes Diele C B, Cardoso Sérgio V, Cassali Geovanni D
Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. 2007 Sep;15(3):273-8. doi: 10.1097/01.pai.0000213123.04215.95.
Beta-catenin plays a central role in cadherin/catenin cell-cell adhesion complex and is involved in cell signaling pathway. Change in beta-catenin distribution has been associated with several human cancers including salivary gland tumors. We studied the immunolocalization of beta-catenin in a series of pleomorphic adenomas (PA) and carcinomas ex-pleomorphic adenomas (Ca ex-PA). Ten samples of PA and ten of Ca ex-PA were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase technique and a monoclonal antibody against beta-catenin (E-5). Cell membrane/cytoplasmic staining of beta-catenin was observed in normal gland parenchyma, PA, and in well-differentiated Ca ex-PA. Cytoplasmic/nuclear beta-catenin staining was observed in poorly differentiated carcinomas and, interestingly, in one case of PA. Our data showed decreased cell membrane beta-catenin expression in higher-grade tumors suggesting that beta-catenin may play an important role in histologic differentiation and transition to malignant phenotype of Ca ex-PA.
β-连环蛋白在钙黏蛋白/连环蛋白细胞间黏附复合物中起核心作用，并参与细胞信号通路。β-连环蛋白分布的改变与包括涎腺肿瘤在内的多种人类癌症相关。我们研究了β-连环蛋白在一系列多形性腺瘤（PA）和多形性腺瘤恶变癌（Ca ex-PA）中的免疫定位。使用链霉亲和素-生物素-过氧化物酶技术和抗β-连环蛋白的单克隆抗体（E-5），通过免疫组织化学对10例PA样本和10例Ca ex-PA样本进行评估。在正常腺实质、PA以及高分化Ca ex-PA中观察到β-连环蛋白的细胞膜/细胞质染色。在低分化癌中，有趣的是，在1例PA中观察到β-连环蛋白的细胞质/细胞核染色。我们的数据显示，在高级别肿瘤中细胞膜β-连环蛋白表达降低，提示β-连环蛋白可能在Ca ex-PA的组织学分化和向恶性表型转变中起重要作用。
