Beta-catenin And Epithelial Calcium Adhesion Factors Were Detected By Immunohistochemistry In Colorectal Cancer

Objective To investigate the role of β -catenin and E-cadherin in the carcinogenesis and progression of colorectal carcinoma.Methods Expression of β -catenin and E-cadherin was examined immunohistochemically in 20 cases of normal colonic mucosa,40 cases of colorectal adenoma , 20 cases of colorectal adenoma carcinogenesis and 58 cases of colorectal carcinoma.Results In normal colonic mucosa, β -catenin and E-cadherin were detected in the cell membranes of epithelial cells, p-catenin expression was characterized by alterations in colorectal adenoma,adenoma canceration,and colorectal cancerous tissues;membranous expression fell into deletion,a cytoplasmic and/or nuclear ectopic expression occurred instead;thep-catenin ectopic expression rate of adenoma ( 65 % , P<0.01) and colorectal carcinoma(65.5%, P<0.05) ; P-catenin's ectopic expression was related with the tissue differentiation degree of colorectal carcinoma,lymph node metastasis,and Dukes'staging.Deletion rates of membranous expression of p-catenin and E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma were 77.6% and 70.7% respectively remarkably greater than those in colorectal adenoma(35.0%,30.0%) and in adenoma canceration(40.0%,35.0%)( P < 0.01) ,this also relating to colorectal carcinoma's lymph node metastasis and Dukes' staging.Conclusion The cytoplasmic and nuclearp-catenin expression(ectopic expression) might play a pivotal role in the carcinogenesis and progression of colorectal carcinoma . The delation of membranous p-catenin and E-cadherin expression might be related to the invasion and metastasis of colorectal carcinoma.