N. Gunji et al., PANCREATIC-CARCINOMA - CORRELATION BETWEEN E-CADHERIN AND ALPHA-CATENIN EXPRESSION STATUS AND LIVER METASTASIS, Cancer, 82(9), 1998, pp. 1649-1656
BACKGROUND. Dysfunction of the E-cadherin/catenin-mediated cell-cell a
dhesion system has been associated with invasiveness and poor differen
tiation of human carcinomas. However, its importance in the genesis of
liver metastasis has not been examined sufficiently. METHODS. A serie
s of 26 primary pancreatic carcinomas and the concomitant liver metast
ases from 15 of them, obtained at autopsy, were analyzed for E-cadheri
n and alpha-catenin protein expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULT
S. Both E-cadherin and alpha-catenin expression were preserved in 15 (
58%) and reduced in 11 (32%) of the 26 primary pancreatic carcinomas.
In the former 15 primaries, carcinoma cells were attached to each othe
r tightly, whereas the latter 11 primaries showed isolated or loosely
connected attachments. The metastatic ratio was higher in tumors exhib
iting tight adhesion than in those with loose adhesion: 73% and 36%, r
espectively (P = 0.059). E-cadherin and alpha-catenin expression patte
rns in liver metastases basically followed those in the corresponding
primaries (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS. Reduced E-cadherin and alpha-cateni
n expression in primary pancreatic carcinoma has no significant predic
tive value regarding the presence of liver metastasis. Rather, there i
s a greater tendency for liver metastasis in cases in which the integr
ity of the E-cadherin/catenin-mediated cell-cell adhesion system is in
tact. (C) 1998 American Cancer Society.