Differential expression of dysadherin in papillary thyroid carcinoma and microcarcinoma: correlation with E-cadherin.

Dysadherin is a novel glycoprotein, with an anti-cell-cell adhesion function. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of dysadherin in thyroid papillary microcarcinoma (PMC), to associate it with the expression of E-cadherin and to investigate whether there are differences with papillary carcinoma (PC). A statistically significant difference in dysadherin and E-cadherin expression between PC and PMC and a negative correlation between E-cadherin and dysadherin expression regardless of tumor size were noted. Based on these findings it is hypothesized that retained cell-cell adhesion, through maintenance of the E-cadherin adhesion system, in PMC prevents neoplastic cells from dissociating easily from each other and metastasizing. Increased dysadherin expression is possibly one of the post-transcriptional mechanisms responsible for E-cadherin downregulation in thyroid papillary neoplasia.