Expression of Beta-catenin and E-cadherin in Early Gastric Cancer: Correlation with Clinicopathologic Parameters.
- Author:
Byung Joo SONG
1
;
Young Jin PARK
;
Han Seong KIM
;
Chul Nam KIM
;
Seok Hyo CHANG
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Gyeonggi, Korea. bjsong@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Stomach neoplasm;
Early gastric cancer;
Beta-catenin;
Nuclear expression
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Cadherins/*metabolism;
Carcinoma/*metabolism/pathology;
Cell Nucleus/metabolism;
Cytoplasm/metabolism;
Cytoskeletal Proteins/*metabolism;
English Abstract;
Female;
Humans;
Ki-67 Antigen/analysis;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Protein p53/metabolism;
Stomach Neoplasms/*metabolism/pathology;
Trans-Activators/*metabolism
- From:The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology
2004;43(2):82-89
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Beta-catenin is known to perform two unrelated functions in cadherin-mediated cell to cell adhesion system and Wnt pathway. Recent studies reported cytoplasmic and nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin by Wnt signaling and/or abnormal Wnt pathway in cancer cells. Nuclear accumulations of beta-catenin have a crucial role in early tumor growth and initiation of invasive growth in gastric cancer. METHODS: We carried out clinicopathological and immunohistochemical studies for beta-catenin, p53, E-cadherin, and Ki-67 in the specimens from 60 early gastric cancer patients who were treated with curative resections. RESULTS: Twenty-five (41.7%) and twenty-nine (48.3%) cases showed a nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of beta-catenin, respectively. There were significant correlations between nuclear expression of beta-catenin and well-differentiated and intestinal type of early gastric carcinoma. Cytoplasmic expression of beta-catenin had significant correlations with nuclear expression of beta-catenin (p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Nuclear expression of beta-catenin is significantly influenced by histological grade, Lauren classification and cytoplasmic expression of beta-catenin in early gastric cancer. These findings suggest that nuclear expression of beta-catenin is correlated with early tumorigenesis and initiation of invasive growth in gastric cancer.
