Skin Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Skin Cancer, including details on identification, causes, prevention, treatment. | ||||||||
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E-cadherin and beta-catenin expression patterns in malignant melanoma assessed by image analysis.Pećina-Slaus N, Zigmund M, Kusec V, Martić TN, Cacić M, Slaus M Department of Biology, Croatian Institute for brain research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. nina@mef.hr BACKGROUND: We investigated the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in melanoma. Both proteins are components of adherens junctions but also play signalling roles in the wnt signal transduction pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy malignant melanomas were analysed by immunohistochemistry and evaluated by image analysis as staining density, i.e. light permeability (LP). RESULTS: Comparison of mean values of relative LP for E-cadherin and beta-catenin in tumor tissue shows that levels of E-cadherin protein are significantly lower (259.67-116.23; t=22.7; p=0.000). The comparison of mean values of the relative LP of E-cadherin in melanoma to the LP in the adjacent normal skin also shows that the expression of E-cadherin in tumor is significantly lower (256.06-169.87; t=11.55, p=0.000). beta-catenin was observed in the cytoplasm in 30.6% of patients, in 24.2% in the cell membrane, in 21% in both the cytoplasm and membrane, in 1.6% in the membrane and nucleus and in 4.8% in the cytoplasm and nucleus, whereas in 17.7% of patients beta-catenin could not be observed. Patients with Clark 4 and 5 had significantly less beta-catenin than patients with Clark 2 and 3 (chi2=12.854; p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in E-cadherin and beta-catenin levels have important roles in melanoma and could be used as molecular markers of disease progression. Published 16 February 2007 in J Cutan Pathol, 34(3): 239-46.
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