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Paradoxical expression of E-cadherin in prostatic bone metastases
A A Bryden1, A J Freemont, N W Clarke
1Department of Urology, University Hospital of South Manchester, UK.
Objective:
To determine whether the calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin is expressed in metastatic deposits of prostate cancer in bone.
Patients And Methods:
Ten bone biopsies containing metastatic deposits of untreated prostatic cancer were obtained and immunohistochemically stained for E-cadherin with the monoclonal antibody HECD-1, using the streptavidin-biotin complex technique. Benign prostatic tissue was used as the control.
Results:
Of the 10 specimens, nine showed positive expression of E-cadherin, graded as strong in four. E-cadherin expression was strongest in well-differentiated metastases and decreased with increasing tumour grade. In some specimens there were mixed patterns of expression.
Conclusion:
E-cadherin is strongly expressed in prostatic bone metastases and the degree of expression appears to reflect local tumour grade. This suggests that loss of E-cadherin expression may not be critically linked to metastatic potential.