Expression of E-cadherin/catenin complexes in breast cancer

  • Authors:
    • I Schonborn
    • W Zschiesche
    • J Behrens
    • K Herrenknecht
    • W Birchmeier
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 1, 1997     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.11.6.1327
  • Pages: 1327-1334
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Abstract

Expression of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenins were studied in 100 patients with primary breast cancer compiled of 57 invasive ductal carcinomas (IDC) and 43 invasive lobular carcinomas (ILC) by means of immunohistochemistry. Loss of E-cadherin was observed in 26 (45.6%), and alpha-, beta- and gamma-catenin expression was lacking in 22 (38.6%), 27 (47.4%) and 22 (38.6%) IDCs, respectively. The expression in ILCs was significantly lower, as compared to IDCs (p<0.001). Immunostaining of both E-cadherin and catenins was completely lacking in 27 (47.4%) IDCs and 30 (93.8%) ILCs. Go-expression of E-cadherin/beta-catenin or E-cadherin/gamma-catenin was preserved more frequently than that of E-cadherin/alpha-catenin complexes. E-cadherin/catenin complex expression showed significant positive correlation with histological differentiation (p=0.037), ER (p=0.017) and PR expression (p=0.052), and negative correlation with c-erbB-2 receptor overexpression (p=0.046). Patients with tumours showing adhesion complexes containing alpha-catenin had an increased overall survival rate compared to other patients. Expression of either E-cadherin or alpha-catenin only, without the formation of entire adhesion complexes, was not correlated with overall survival. Thus, determination of both E-cadherin and catenins is suggested to add further information to estimate the prognosis of breast cancer patients.

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December 1997
Volume 11 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Schonborn I, Zschiesche W, Behrens J, Herrenknecht K and Birchmeier W: Expression of E-cadherin/catenin complexes in breast cancer. Int J Oncol 11: 1327-1334, 1997.
APA
Schonborn, I., Zschiesche, W., Behrens, J., Herrenknecht, K., & Birchmeier, W. (1997). Expression of E-cadherin/catenin complexes in breast cancer. International Journal of Oncology, 11, 1327-1334. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.11.6.1327
MLA
Schonborn, I., Zschiesche, W., Behrens, J., Herrenknecht, K., Birchmeier, W."Expression of E-cadherin/catenin complexes in breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 11.6 (1997): 1327-1334.
Chicago
Schonborn, I., Zschiesche, W., Behrens, J., Herrenknecht, K., Birchmeier, W."Expression of E-cadherin/catenin complexes in breast cancer". International Journal of Oncology 11, no. 6 (1997): 1327-1334. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.11.6.1327