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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Evaluation of Planar-Cell-Polarity Phenotypes in Ciliopathy Mouse Mutant Cochlea
Published on: February 21, 2016
CyclinD1 protein expressed in pterygia is associated with β-catenin protein localization
Jai-Nien Tung1, Chun-Chi Chiang, Yi-Yu Tsai
1Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Background:
The Wnt (Wg/Wnt) signaling cascade plays an important role in tumorigenesis. Our previous report indicated that aberrant localization of β-catenin proteins was a feature of pterygia. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the association of β-catenin protein and expression of a downstream gene, cyclin D1, in pterygial tissues.
Methods:
Using immunohistochemistry, β-catenin and cyclin D1 protein expression was studied, in 150 pterygial specimens and 30 normal conjunctivas.
Results:
Seventy-three (48.7%) and 60 (40.0%) pterygial specimens tested positive for β-catenin and cyclin D1 protein expression, respectively. Cyclin D1protein expression was significantly higher in β-catenin-nuclear/cytoplasmic positive groups than in β-catenin membrane positive and negative groups (p < 0.0001). In addition, cyclin D1 expression was significantly higher in the fleshy group than in the atrophic and intermediate groups (p = 0.006).
Conclusions:
Our study demonstrated that β-catenin expressed in nuclei/cytoplasm increases cyclinD1 protein expression, which invokes pterygial cell proliferation.
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