Abstract
The expressions of E-cadherin, the integrin subunits beta(1), beta(2), beta(3), CD44 and alpha-catenin were studied in parallel by immunohistochemistry in a series of 40 prostate biopsies comprising one normal, 11 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and 28 prostatic adenocarcinomas. As reported by others, there was a consistent loss of E-cadherin expression with increasing tumour grade and de-differentiation. However, a significant proportion of losses occurred at earlier grades than previously reported. The parallel nature of this study showed, for the first time in human prostate carcinoma, a reciprocal expression pattern of E-cadherin and beta(1) integrin in the higher grades of prostate cancer. A reciprocal expression pattern was also found for E-cadherin and CD44 between moderately and poorly differentiated tumours. alpha-Catenin expression was downregulated only in those cells which had previously lost E-cadherin expression, and beta(2) and beta(3) integrin were rarely expressed in prostate tumours. A loss of expression of the luminal epithelial specific keratins CK8 and CK18 was also observed in advanced stage, poorly differentiated carcinomas. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 263-271 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | European Journal of Cancer |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 1997 |
Keywords
- prostate cancer
- adhesion molecules
- integrin
- cadherin
- catenin
- CD44
- E-CADHERIN
- DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION
- NEOPLASTIC PROSTATE
- GENETIC CHANGES
- METASTASIS
- INTEGRINS
- CARCINOMA
- PROTEINS
- LINES