PURPOSE: Expression and role of γ-catenin in colorectal carcinogenesis is not well understood. We aimed at characterizing γ-catenin's expression pattern during colorectal carcinogenesis. METHODS: The expression pattern of γ-catenin was characterized in adenomas, primary colorectal carcinomas, and their corresponding metastases. Since this descriptive immunohistochemical analysis revealed upregulation of γ-catenin in the invasive front of both primary tumors and metastases, a tissue microarray (TMA) was performed, allowing for correlation of subcellular expression patterns with disease recurrence and cancer-specific survival. Comparison of γ-catenin expression with that of β-catenin was performed. RESULTS: In normal colonic epithelium and adenomas, γ-catenin was weakly expressed at the membrane. In central areas of primary colorectal carcinomas, membranous and cytoplasmatic expression was present, with cytoplasmatic and nuclear upregulation of γ-catenin in the invasive fronts. Expression patterns found in metastases resembled those of their respective primary tumors. Subsequent TMA analysis showed that upregulation of cytoplasmatic γ-catenin in the invasive fronts of curatively resected early T2 and T3 colorectal carcinomas was associated with shortened disease-free survival and an increased risk of death (p=0.003; hazard ratio = 2.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.44-6.18). CONCLUSIONS: The correlation of upregulated cellular γ-catenin levels with higher recurrences and impaired survival suggests a tumor promoting role of γ-catenin in colorectal cancer. γ-Catenin may therefore serve as a marker for identifying patients who are at increased risk of disease recurrence who may benefit from closer follow-up and adjuvant therapy.
PURPOSE: Expression and role of γ-catenin in colorectal carcinogenesis is not well understood. We aimed at characterizing γ-catenin's expression pattern during colorectal carcinogenesis. METHODS: The expression pattern of γ-catenin was characterized in adenomas, primary colorectal carcinomas, and their corresponding metastases. Since this descriptive immunohistochemical analysis revealed upregulation of γ-catenin in the invasive front of both primary tumors and metastases, a tissue microarray (TMA) was performed, allowing for correlation of subcellular expression patterns with disease recurrence and cancer-specific survival. Comparison of γ-catenin expression with that of β-catenin was performed. RESULTS: In normal colonic epithelium and adenomas, γ-catenin was weakly expressed at the membrane. In central areas of primary colorectal carcinomas, membranous and cytoplasmatic expression was present, with cytoplasmatic and nuclear upregulation of γ-catenin in the invasive fronts. Expression patterns found in metastases resembled those of their respective primary tumors. Subsequent TMA analysis showed that upregulation of cytoplasmatic γ-catenin in the invasive fronts of curatively resected early T2 and T3 colorectal carcinomas was associated with shortened disease-free survival and an increased risk of death (p=0.003; hazard ratio = 2.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.44-6.18). CONCLUSIONS: The correlation of upregulated cellular γ-catenin levels with higher recurrences and impaired survival suggests a tumor promoting role of γ-catenin in colorectal cancer. γ-Catenin may therefore serve as a marker for identifying patients who are at increased risk of disease recurrence who may benefit from closer follow-up and adjuvant therapy.
Authors: C G Moertel; T R Fleming; J S Macdonald; D G Haller; J A Laurie; C M Tangen; J S Ungerleider; W A Emerson; D C Tormey; J H Glick Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 1995-12 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: W Schippinger; H Samonigg; R Schaberl-Moser; R Greil; R Thödtmann; J Tschmelitsch; M Jagoditsch; G G Steger; R Jakesz; F Herbst; F Hofbauer; H Rabl; P Wohlmuth; M Gnant; J Thaler Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2007-09-25 Impact factor: 7.640
Authors: Jutta Maria Nagel; Harald Lahm; Andrea Ofner; Burkhard Göke; Frank Thomas Kolligs Journal: Int J Colorectal Dis Date: 2017-07-06 Impact factor: 2.571
Authors: Ioannis P Gialmanidis; Vasiliki Bravou; Ilias Petrou; Helen Kourea; Alexandros Mathioudakis; Ioannis Lilis; Helen Papadaki Journal: Lung Date: 2013-07-18 Impact factor: 2.584