Abnormal distribution of E-cadherin and β-catenin in different histologic types of cancer of the uterine cervix

• Published in: Gynecologic oncology 2005-05, Vol.97 (2), p.330-336
• Main Authors: Rodríguez-Sastre, María Alexandra, González-Maya, Leticia, Delgado, Ricardo, Lizano, Marcela, Tsubaki, Gerardo, Mohar, Alejandro, García-Carrancá, Alejandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Adenosquamous carcinoma; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; beta Catenin; Cadherins - metabolism; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous - metabolism; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Cervical cancer; Cervix Uteri - metabolism; Cytoskeletal Proteins - metabolism; E-cadherin; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Staging; Normal tissue; Precancerous Conditions - metabolism; Precancerous Conditions - pathology; Premalignant lesions; Squamous carcinoma; Trans-Activators - metabolism; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - metabolism; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology; β-catenin
• ISSN: 0090-8258; 1095-6859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2004.12.062

The goal of this study was to analyze the cellular distribution and possible alterations of β-catenin and E-cadherin proteins in different histologic types of uterine cervical cancer and precursor lesions, compared to normal controls. We performed an immunochemical staining analysis of the cellular distribution of β-catenin and E-cadherin proteins in biopsy samples from 20 normal exocervical squamous epithelium, 43 premalignant lesions, and a large series of 126 invasive tumors of different histologic types that included 68 squamous carcinomas, 31 adenosquamous carcinomas, and 27 adenocarcinomas. Statistical significance was evaluated by the chi-square or Fisher's Exact test. We observed β-catenin abnormally distributed in the cytoplasm of 62% of premalignant lesions and more than 70% of invasive cancers, statistically significant when compared with normal tissue ( P < 0.05). Similarly, we found that E-cadherin exhibit a significant abnormal distribution in the cytoplasm of 58% of premalignant lesions ( P < 0.05) and in more than 71% of squamous carcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma when compared with normal tissue ( P < 0.05). We found no differences in the distribution of E-cadherin between adenocarcinomas compared with control samples. Interestingly, we found that both, β-catenin and E-cadherin, were absent in the membrane of nearly 40% premalignant lesions. Nuclear staining of β-catenin was rarely seen in any cases, contrary to what has been reported for this and other neoplasias. Our findings indicate that cellular alterations of both β-catenin and E-cadherin are frequent in tumors of the uterine cervix of different histologic types, and support a role for these proteins in cervical cancer development.