The expression of E-cadherin and catenins in sporadic colorectal carcinoma

The E-cadherin/catenin complex plays a major role in epithelial cell-cell a dhesion. Immunohistochemical studies have highlighted perturbation in the e xpression and distribution of E-cadherin and catenins in sporadic colorecta l neoplasms. In this study, we compared the expression of E-cadherin and ca tenins (alpha-, beta-, and gamma -catenin) in 30 sporadic colorectal carcin omas with that in the adjacent nonneoplastic mucosa and assessed whether an y perturbation in the level of expression occurred at the messenger RNA (mR NA) or protein level. We also compared the expression of E-cadherin and cat enins in 13 lymph node deposits and the primary tumors. Immunohistochemistr y was used to study the level of expression and cellular distribution of E- cadherin and catenins. Levels of mRNA were studied by in situ hybridization . E-cadherin and catenin immunoreactivity, was increased with cytoplasmic a ccumulation in more than 85% of the neoplasms. There were marked increases in the levels of mRNA in the carcinomas compared with the nonneoplastic muc osa. Nuclear localization of beta -catenin was higher at the invasive margi n of some tumors, but expression of E-cadherin and catenin transcripts in t he lymph node deposits showed no consistent relationship to that in the pri mary tumors. Hum PATHOL 32:1216-1224, Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders C ompany.