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An immunohistochemical examination of the expression of E‐cadherin, α‐ and β/γ‐catenins, and α2‐ and β1‐integrins in invasive breast cancer
Author(s) -
Gonzalez M. A.,
Pinder S. E.,
Wencyk P. M.,
Bell J. A.,
Elston C. W.,
Nicholson R. I.,
Robertson J. F. R.,
Blamey R. W.,
Ellis I. O.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9896(199904)187:5<523::aid-path296>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - immunostaining , catenin , cadherin , immunohistochemistry , pathology , cell adhesion molecule , integrin , breast cancer , biology , medicine , cancer , cell , receptor , immunology , signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , wnt signaling pathway , genetics
This study examines the expression of the cell–cell adhesion molecules E‐cadherin and its associated proteins, the catenins and the matrix–cell adhesion molecules β1‐ and α2‐integrins, in primary invasive breast carcinoma. Expression was assessed immunohistochemically on frozen sections by semi‐quantitative scoring of the intensity and proportion of immunoreactivity in 55 cases. Associations with each other and with other histological and prognostic features and survival were sought. There was a significant association between loss of E‐cadherin expression and loss of α‐ and β/γ‐catenin immunostaining. In 20 per cent of cases, membranous immunoreactivity with E‐cadherin antibody was absent. Absent cytoplasmic expression of α‐ and β/γ‐catenins was seen in 24 and 22 per cent of breast cancers, respectively. The intensity of reactivity with E‐cadherin showed a significant association with histological grade ( p = 0·002) and tumour type ( p < 0·001). Lobular carcinomas frequently showed loss of expression of E‐cadherin, as reported elsewhere; loss of catenin expression was also found in these tumours. α‐Catenin intensity also showed a relationship with grade ( p = 0·008) and with oestrogen receptor (ER) status ( p = 0·006). β/γ‐Catenin expression was not associated with other known prognostic factors. Forty‐nine per cent and 42 per cent of cases showed no membrane immunostaining with β1‐ and α2‐integrin, respectively, and co‐ordinated loss of β1‐ and α2‐integrin expression was found. Both β1‐ and α2‐integrin expression were associated with histological grade ( p = 0·003 and p = 0·031, respectively) and β1 immunoreactivity with tumour type ( p = 0·010). None of the variables examined showed a statistically significant association with tumour size or lymph node stage, or with overall survival, although a trend was seen ( p = 0·087) towards poorer survival of patients with tumours with absent or weak expression of β1‐integrin. The expression of these markers is of biological interest, but appears to be of little additional use in predicting clinical behaviour. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.