E-cadherin and β-catenin expression in sebaceous eyelid adenocarcinomas.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Since the E-cadherin-catenin complex is of importance in the cancerogenesis of epithelial tumors, we examined the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin in sebaceous adenocarcinomas of the eyelid and correlated the results with clinicopathological parameters.

METHODS:

The study included histological specimen of 32 patients with sebaceous adenocarcinomas of the eyelid. The expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and Ki-67 nuclear antigen was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS:

The membranous expression of E-cadherin and of β-catenin was reduced in 17 (53%) patients and 18 (56%) patients, respectively, while elevated cytoplasmic levels and a nuclear accumulation of β-catenin were found in 27 (84%) and six (19%) patients, respectively. The low expression of membranous β-catenin was associated with a high degree of tumor infiltration (p = 0.02), high amount of inflammation (p = 0.01), and high degree of poor tumor differentiation (p < 0.001). In a similar manner, a low membranous E-cadherin expression in tumors was significantly associated with poor tumor differentiation (p = 0.001) and high tumor cell proliferation rate (p = 0.004). The Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in the group with low membranous E-cadherin expression than in the group with high membranous E-cadherin expression (62.3 ± 20.8 versus 42.1 ± 15.3; p = 0.004). The membranous E-cadherin expression and the membranous β-catenin expression were significantly associated with each other (Fisher's exact probability test, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS:

Sebaceous eyelid adenocarcinomas showed a decrease in the membranous expression of E-cadherin and of β-catenin. These changes were associated with poor tumor differentiation and an increase in the tumor infiltration and inflammation, pointing at a potential role of a low E-cadherin and low β-catenin expression for poor prognosis of sebaceous eyelid adenocarcinomas. Correspondingly, the cell proliferation index and the expression of E-cadherin were inversely correlated with each other. The findings suggest that the immunohistochemical detection of a low E-cadherin and low β-catenin expression may help in the examination and staging of sebaceous eyelid adenocarcinomas.

• Authors: Liang Li, Zhe Zhang, Bin Li, Fei Gao, Liaoqing Li, Jost B Jonas
• Journal: Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie (Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol) Vol. 249 Issue 12 Pg. 1867-73 (Dec 2011) ISSN: 1435-702X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 21739269 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CTNNB1 protein, human
• Cadherins
• Ki-67 Antigen
• Neoplasm Proteins
• beta Catenin

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma, Sebaceous (metabolism, pathology, surgery)
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biomarkers, Tumor (metabolism)
• Cadherins (metabolism)
• Eyelid Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology, surgery)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Ki-67 Antigen (metabolism)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Proteins (metabolism)
• Sebaceous Gland Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology, surgery)
• beta Catenin (metabolism)