Expression of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin in patients with colorectal carcinoma - Correlation with cancer invasion and metastasis

Cadherins form complexes with groups of cytoplasmic proteins, such as alpha -, beta-, and gamma-catenins, that link the cadherin molecule to the cytosk eleton. In this study, we conducted an immunohistochemical investigation of E-cadherin and alpha-catenin expression in 100 tissue samples obtained fro m colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment Reduced expressi on of alpha-catenin was observed in 56 (56%) of the cases and found to be s ignificantly correlated with the depth of invasion of the patients' colorec tal cancer and its metastasis to lymph nodes and liver In contrast, E-cadhe rin expression was reduced in 29 (29%) of the cases and was not significant ly correlated with either depth of invasion or metastasis. Although the lev els of expression of these proteins were positively correlated, coexpressio n pattern analysis showed that invasion and metastasis were correlated with a reduction of alpha-catenin expression regardless of the status of E-cadh erin staining. Thus, to predict tumor invasion and metastasis in colorectal adenocarcinoma, it is useful to investigate not just the expression of E-c adherin but also the expression of alpha-catenin.