Differential caveolin-1 expression in colon carcinoma and its relation to E-cadherin-β-catenin complex.

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer is the third common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world. Caveolin-1 is a new emerging prognostic marker and has different expression abilities in different cancers. The expression of caveolin-1 in colon carcinogenesis is still confusing. E-cadherin and β-catenin have a definite role in invasion and progression. Our study is designed to explore the role of caveolin-1 in cancer colon carcinogenesis and tries to elucidate the relation between its expression and E-cadherin and β-catenin expression in colon cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 70 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded colon carcinoma specimens were studied for the expression of the 3 proteins, and a correlative study was done between each protein and different clinicopathologic parameters and between the 3 markers.

RESULTS

As the tumor becomes more aggressive and invasive and as it metastasizes, it losses the stromal caveolin-1 and E-cadherin and gains the cellular caveolin-1 and the abnormal β-catenin expression. Also, there were parallel changes between stromal caveolin-1 and E-cadherin on one side and between the cellular caveolin-1 and β-catenin on another side.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings link caveolin-1 to the power of infiltration and spread, aggressiveness, and differentiation of cancer colon, and this may be happen through E-cadherin-β-catenin complex.