Related Experiment Videos
Paranuaclear E-cadherin in gastric adenocarcinoma
Philip M Carpenter1, Rasha A Al-Kuran, Charles P Theuer
1Department of Pathology, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange 92868, USA.
American Journal of Clinical Pathology
|December 11, 2002
Summary
Paranuclear E-cadherin staining, indicating a transport defect, is linked to gastric adenocarcinoma cell dissemination. This alteration in E-cadherin may be an early event in cancer progression.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- E-cadherin is crucial for cell adhesion in gastric tissues.
- Decreased E-cadherin expression is associated with gastric adenocarcinoma cell dissociation and metastasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between paranuclear E-cadherin distribution and histopathologic features of gastric adenocarcinomas.
- To explore the potential role of altered E-cadherin transport in gastric cancer development.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical staining for E-cadherin on 173 gastric adenocarcinoma tissue sections.
- Analysis of E-cadherin distribution (paranuclear vs. membranous) in neoplastic and nonneoplastic epithelium.
- Colocalization studies with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin II.
Main Results:
- Paranuclear E-cadherin staining was observed in 18% of intestinal-type, 30% of diffuse-type, and 30% of mixed-type gastric adenocarcinomas.
- 59% of tumors with paranuclear E-cadherin also showed staining in adjacent nonneoplastic epithelium, compared to 22% with absent/membranous staining.
- Paranuclear E-cadherin localized to the Golgi apparatus in surface epithelium.
Conclusions:
- A defect in E-cadherin transport to the cell surface may occur in some gastric adenocarcinomas, potentially promoting cell dissemination.
- The presence of paranuclear E-cadherin in benign epithelium suggests it's an early event in gastric adenocarcinoma progression.