BACKGROUND: Beta-catenin, a 92 kDa protein that binds to the cytoplasmic tail of E-cadherin, has an essential role in intercellular adhesion and signal transduction. Aberrant expression of beta-catenin has been associated with progression and metastasis of various human cancers. The aim of this study was to elucidate the expression pattern of beta-catenin in primary oral squamous cell carcinoma and examine the correlation between beta-catenin expression and tumor differentiation, histological grade and lymph node status as well as its clinical significances. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and sixteen metastatic lymph nodes were studied. The beta-catenin expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation with clinical, histological data was analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Normal oral epithelium showed strong beta-catenin expression at the cell membrane, but no cytoplasmic or nuclear expression. Different degrees of reduced expression of beta-catenin at the cell membrane were found in 54 cases with squamous cell carcinoma (71%). Cytoplasmic beta-catenin expression was found in 17 tumors (22.4%). Three cases were found with nuclear beta-catenin expression. In sixteen lymph nodes with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, negative beta-catenin expression at the cell membrane was seen in 13 tumors (81.2%) and weak expression in 3 tumors (18.8%). Statistical analysis showed that there was an inverse correlation between beta-catenin expression and lymph node status and histological grade of tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced beta-catenin expression at the cell membrane is clearly associated with lymph node metastasis. A reduced expression of beta-catenin may constitute a hallmark of aggressive biological behavior of squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND:Beta-catenin, a 92 kDa protein that binds to the cytoplasmic tail of E-cadherin, has an essential role in intercellular adhesion and signal transduction. Aberrant expression of beta-catenin has been associated with progression and metastasis of various humancancers. The aim of this study was to elucidate the expression pattern of beta-catenin in primary oral squamous cell carcinoma and examine the correlation between beta-catenin expression and tumor differentiation, histological grade and lymph node status as well as its clinical significances. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and sixteen metastatic lymph nodes were studied. The beta-catenin expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation with clinical, histological data was analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Normal oral epithelium showed strong beta-catenin expression at the cell membrane, but no cytoplasmic or nuclear expression. Different degrees of reduced expression of beta-catenin at the cell membrane were found in 54 cases with squamous cell carcinoma (71%). Cytoplasmic beta-catenin expression was found in 17 tumors (22.4%). Three cases were found with nuclear beta-catenin expression. In sixteen lymph nodes with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma, negative beta-catenin expression at the cell membrane was seen in 13 tumors (81.2%) and weak expression in 3 tumors (18.8%). Statistical analysis showed that there was an inverse correlation between beta-catenin expression and lymph node status and histological grade of tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced beta-catenin expression at the cell membrane is clearly associated with lymph node metastasis. A reduced expression of beta-catenin may constitute a hallmark of aggressive biological behavior of squamous cell carcinoma.
Authors: Angela Santoro; Giuseppe Pannone; Silvana Papagerakis; H Stan McGuff; Barbara Cafarelli; Silvia Lepore; Salvatore De Maria; Corrado Rubini; Marilena Mattoni; Stefania Staibano; Ernesto Mezza; Gaetano De Rosa; Gabriella Aquino; Simona Losito; Carla Loreto; Salvatore Crimi; Pantaleo Bufo; Lorenzo Lo Muzio Journal: Biomed Res Int Date: 2014-01-08 Impact factor: 3.411