MODULATION OF E-CADHERIN EXPRESSION AND MORPHOLOGICAL PHENOTYPE IN THE INTRAVASCULAR COMPONENT OF ADENOCARCINOMAS

E-cadherin is a morphoregulatory epithelial cell/cell adhesion molecul e whose loss from carcinomas probably contributes to a more invasive t umour phenotype. Employing an immunohistochemical technique on 25 aden ocarcinomas (8 from stomach, 10 breast, 7 colon) we compared E-cadheri n expression and tumour morphology of carcinoma that had invaded vascu lar spaces with that of extravascular carcinoma, both in primary tumou rs and in their lymph node metastases. In 40% of cases either at the p rimary site, in the lymph node metastasis or at both sites, E-cadherin levels were higher in the often tiny intravascular tumour compartment than in the adjacent and much larger extravascular tumour compartment . In no tumour was the highest area of E-cadherin expression present w ithin the extravascular compartment. Increases in the differentiation and cohesion of intravascular tumour occurred in 16% and 20% of cases, respectively. In 3 of 4 cases showing increased differentiation, but in only I of 5 cases showing increased cohesion, these morphological c hanges were associated with increased intravascular E-cadherin levels. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.