IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSION OF E-CADHERIN IN SALIVARY-GLANDS AND THEIR TUMORS

E-cadherin is a calcium dependent cell adhesion molecule, important in cell to cell interactions in epithelial tissues. The present study ex amined E-cadherin expression in normal salivary glands, pleomorphic ad enoma, Warthin's tumor, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, acinic cell carcinom a, adenoid cystic carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of salivary glands in p araffin sections using a monoclonal antibody (5H9). This study is firs tly reported E-cadherin expression in the salivary gland and tumors. I n normal submandibular and parotid gland, E-cadherin staining was conf ined to the cell membrane of acinar and ductal cells. In excretory duc ts, high columnar cells showed the strongest reaction at the basal asp ect and ductal basal cells were weakly positive or negative, the basem ent membrane zone lacked staining. No E-cadherin reaction was observed in modified myoepithelial cells and plasmacytoid cells. In pleomorphi c adenoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, E-cadherin was positive at the lateral cell membrane or whole cell membrane of duct-like structure a nd epidermoid cells. Acinic cell carcinoma was negative for E-cadherin . In adenoid cystic carcinoma, the expression was only found in cribri form areas. In adenocarcinoma, the staining was seen in the cell membr ane of duct like structures and occasional cells showed a strong cytop lasmic reaction. Positive E-cadherin staining in salivary gland tumors was higher in benign tumors than in malignant tumors.