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Updated: Apr 26, 2026
Induction and Analysis of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition
Published on: August 27, 2013
Prognostic significance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related markers in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma:
T Nitta1, T Mitsuhashi2, Y Hatanaka2
11] Department of Surgical Pathology, Hokkaido University Hospital, N14, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8648, Japan [2] Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, N14, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8648, Japan.
Background:
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is characterised by the loss of cell-to-cell adhesion and gaining of mesenchymal phenotypes. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is proposed to occur in various developmental processes and cancer progression. 'Cadherin switch', a process in which cells shift to express different isoforms of the cadherin transmembrane protein and usually refers to a switch from the expression of E-cadherin to N-cadherin, is one aspect of EMT and can have a profound effect on tumour invasion/metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological significance of EMT-related proteins and cadherin switch in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC).
Methods:
We investigated the association between altered expression of 12 EMT-related proteins and clinical outcomes in patients with EHCC (n=117) using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays.
Results:
Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that, in addition to N classification (P=0.0420), the expression of E-cadherin (P=0.0208), N-cadherin (P=0.0038) and S100A4 (P=0.0157) was each an independent and a significant prognostic factor. We also demonstrated that cadherin switch was independently associated with poor prognosis (P=0.0143) in patients with EHCC.
Conclusions:
These results may provide novel information for selection of patients with EHCC who require adjuvant therapy and strict surveillance.
