Correlation between the overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor and mesenchymal makers in endometrial carcinoma.
- Author:
Wei Ning YANG
1
;
Zhi Hong AI
;
Juan WANG
;
Yan Li XU
;
Yin Cheng TENG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Endometrial carcinoma cells; Epidermal growth factor receptor; Epithelial-mesenchymal transition
- MeSH: alpha Catenin; Blotting, Western; Cadherins; Endometrial Neoplasms*; Epidermal Growth Factor*; Epithelial Cells; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Female; Humans; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor*; Reverse Transcription; Vimentin
- From:Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2014;25(1):36-42
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the expression of epithelial cell markers (E-cadherin and alpha-catenin) and mesenchymal cell markers (N-cadherin and vimentin) in endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: The expression of all 4 markers was evaluated in EGFR overexpressing Ishikawa cells, control Ishikawa cells, and KLE cells using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. The expression of these 4 markers was also determined in cancerous tissues of patients with endometrial carcinoma using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Ishikawa cells transfected with EGFR showed decreased expression of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin and increased expression of N-cadherin and vimentin compared with control Ishikawa cells (p<0.01 for all). The expression of N-cadherin and vimentin was higher and the expression of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin was lower in stage II-III than stage I and in grade II-III than grade I endometrial carcinoma tissue (p<0.01 for all). CONCLUSION: Decreased expression of epithelial markers (E-cadherin and alpha-catenin) and increased expression of mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin and vimentin) were observed in human endometrial carcinoma tissue. These findings correlate with high EGFR expression in cultured endometrial carcinoma cells.
