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PubMed · 9771480

Beta- and gamma-catenin expression in thyroid carcinomas.

A Cerrato·F Fulciniti·A Avallone·G Benincasa·L Palombini·M Grieco
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Abstract

Cadherins are calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecules whose intracellular domain forms a complex with proteins required for their function, called catenins. Down-regulation of cadherins has frequently been detected in many types of human carcinomas, being associated with tumour progression. The present study investigates the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and beta- and gamma-catenin in 27 human thyroid carcinomas. E-cadherin immunoreactivity was found to be decreased at cell-cell contacts in 8/15 (53 per cent) papillary, 5/7 (71 per cent) follicular, and 5/5 (100 per cent) anaplastic carcinomas. Beta-catenin membrane localization was found to be decreased in 6/15 (40 per cent) papillary, 2/7 (28 per cent) follicular, and 5/5 (100 per cent) anaplastic carcinomas. Gamma-catenin expression was partially or totally lost in 13/15 (86 per cent) papillary, 6/7 (85 per cent) follicular, and 5/5 (100 per cent) anaplastic carcinomas. A normal pattern of expression for these three molecules was observed in areas of normal tissue in each sample. These data indicate that in addition to E-cadherin, catenins are also down-regulated at cell-cell junctions in thyroid tumours and could represent potentially useful differentiation and/or transformation markers. The high frequency of alterations of gamma-catenin expression found in thyroid carcinomas suggests an important role for this gene product in thyroid carcinogenesis.

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Adenocarcinoma, FollicularAdultAgedBiomarkers, TumorCadherinsCarcinomaCarcinoma, PapillaryCytoskeletal ProteinsDesmoplakinsDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansImmunohistochemistryMaleMiddle AgedThyroid NeoplasmsTrans-Activatorsbeta Cateningamma CateninJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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A Cerrato, F Fulciniti, A Avallone, G Benincasa, L Palombini, M Grieco. 1998. Beta- and gamma-catenin expression in thyroid carcinomas.. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1096-9896(199807)185%3A3%3C267%3A%3Aaid-path113%3E3.0.co%3B2-c

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