Journal of Nippon Medical School: Vol.69 No.2 page.165

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ArticleTitle Expression of E-Cadherin Catenin and C-erbB-2 Gene Products in Invasive Ductal-type Breast Carcinomas

AuthorList Yasushi Nagae^{1, 3}, Kohji Kameyama¹, Munehiro Yokoyama¹, Zenya Naito¹, Nobutaka Yamada¹, Shotaro Maeda², Goro Asano¹, Yuichi Sugisaki¹ and Shigeo Tanaka³

Affiliation ¹Department of Pathology, Nippon Medical School, ²Dvision of Pathology, Tamanagayama Hospital, Nippon Medical School, ³Second Department of Surgery, Nippon Medical School

Language EN

Volume 69

Issue 2

Year 2002

Page 165-171

Received September 27, 2002

Accepted October 31, 2002

Keywords breast carcinoma, E-cadherin, catenin, c-erbB-2, immunohistochemistry

Abstract Special attention has focused on E-cadherin and the invasiveness of breast carcinoma because E-cadherin was suggested to be the major cell adhesion molecule in the mammary gland. In the cytoplasm, E-cadherin is linked to β-catenin and α-catenin which mediate the connection of the cytoskeleton. In addition, c-erbB-2 oncoprotein causes disruption of this cell adhesion system through β-catenin phosphorylation. We investigated the expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin and c-erbB-2 gene products in 66 invasive ductal carcinomas by immunohistochemistry to examine the relation between the E-cadherin mediated cell adhesion system and histological subtypes used in Japan as well as histological grading. The series included 21 papillotubular carcinomas, 16 solid-tubular carcinomas and 29 scirrhous carcinoma. There were 33 cases of grade I, 20 cases of grade II and 13 cases of grade III. We defined P&P&N as E-cadherin positive and α-catenin positive and c-erbB-2 negative cases to evaluate the preservation of the E-cadherin mediated cell adhesion system. There were only 13 cases (19.7%) of P&P&N in total. As for the frequency of E-cadherin/α-catenin/c-erbB-2 expression and P&P&N, no significant difference between histological subtypes was found. However, those in the grade I group tended to be higher than in the other two grade groups. Regarding the rates of α-catenin positive cases and P&P&N cases, there were significant differences between the grade I group and a combination group consisting of the grade II and grade III groups. These results suggest that the E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion system is frequently lost in invasive ductal-type breast cancers by random loss of E-cadherin/catenins or c-erbB-2 overexpression, and that the preservation of this system correlates with well differentiaed morphological features.

Correspondence to Munehiro Yokoyama, MD, Department of Pathology, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan

ArticleTitle	Expression of E-Cadherin Catenin and C-erbB-2 Gene Products in Invasive Ductal-type Breast Carcinomas
AuthorList	Yasushi Nagae^{1, 3}, Kohji Kameyama¹, Munehiro Yokoyama¹, Zenya Naito¹, Nobutaka Yamada¹, Shotaro Maeda², Goro Asano¹, Yuichi Sugisaki¹ and Shigeo Tanaka³
Affiliation	¹Department of Pathology, Nippon Medical School, ²Dvision of Pathology, Tamanagayama Hospital, Nippon Medical School, ³Second Department of Surgery, Nippon Medical School
Language	EN
Volume	69
Issue	2
Year	2002
Page	165-171
Received	September 27, 2002
Accepted	October 31, 2002
Keywords	breast carcinoma, E-cadherin, catenin, c-erbB-2, immunohistochemistry
Abstract	Special attention has focused on E-cadherin and the invasiveness of breast carcinoma because E-cadherin was suggested to be the major cell adhesion molecule in the mammary gland. In the cytoplasm, E-cadherin is linked to β-catenin and α-catenin which mediate the connection of the cytoskeleton. In addition, c-erbB-2 oncoprotein causes disruption of this cell adhesion system through β-catenin phosphorylation. We investigated the expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin and c-erbB-2 gene products in 66 invasive ductal carcinomas by immunohistochemistry to examine the relation between the E-cadherin mediated cell adhesion system and histological subtypes used in Japan as well as histological grading. The series included 21 papillotubular carcinomas, 16 solid-tubular carcinomas and 29 scirrhous carcinoma. There were 33 cases of grade I, 20 cases of grade II and 13 cases of grade III. We defined P&P&N as E-cadherin positive and α-catenin positive and c-erbB-2 negative cases to evaluate the preservation of the E-cadherin mediated cell adhesion system. There were only 13 cases (19.7%) of P&P&N in total. As for the frequency of E-cadherin/α-catenin/c-erbB-2 expression and P&P&N, no significant difference between histological subtypes was found. However, those in the grade I group tended to be higher than in the other two grade groups. Regarding the rates of α-catenin positive cases and P&P&N cases, there were significant differences between the grade I group and a combination group consisting of the grade II and grade III groups. These results suggest that the E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion system is frequently lost in invasive ductal-type breast cancers by random loss of E-cadherin/catenins or c-erbB-2 overexpression, and that the preservation of this system correlates with well differentiaed morphological features.
Correspondence to	Munehiro Yokoyama, MD, Department of Pathology, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan