Abstract
The aim of this study was to establish the expression and localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) so that we could correlate the findings with prognostic-relevant histopathological variables. E-cadherin and β-catenin expression in normal oral epithelia and in oral squamous cell carcinomas was examined immunohistochemically, and associations with histopathological differentiation and prognosis were then analyzed in 33 patients who had been operated on for OSCC. E-cadherin expression was found in (82%) of the squamous cells of well differentiated OSCC, (61%) of moderately differentiated and (39%) of poorly differentiated. E-cadherin expression was significantly associated with histological grade (p=0.000). No nuclear staining was detected. In (19.5%) of the cells E-cadherin localized in the cytoplasm, with no correlation to the histological grade (p=0.106). β-Catenin expression was found in 87% of the squamous cells of well differentiated OSCC, 67% of moderately differentiated and 43% of poorly differentiated, the expression was significantly associated with histological grade (p=0.000). the nuclear β-Catenin expression appeared in 3.3% of the cells and it was correlated to the histological grade (p=0.000). In (23.5%) of the cells β-Catenin localized in the cytoplasm, with correlation to the histological grade (p=0.002). According to this study the expression of β-catenin and E-cadherin were independent prognostic factors for histological grade. E-cadherin was closely linked to β-catenin expression in OSCC (p=0.000) and to tumor differentiation. That reflects a structural association and the role of both in tumor progression.
Highlights
Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide (Shah and Gil, 2009)
In (19.5%) of the cells E-cadherin localized in the cytoplasm, with no correlation to the histological grade (p=0.106). β-Catenin expression was found in 87% of the squamous cells of well differentiated oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC), 67% of moderately differentiated and 43% of poorly differentiated, the expression was significantly associated with histological grade (p=0.000). the nuclear β-Catenin expression appeared in 3.3% of the cells and it was correlated to the histological grade (p=0.000)
We investigated the immunohistochemical expressions of E-cadherin and β-catenin in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) specimens of the oral cavity region, as well as the correlations between expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin and the histopathological differentiation of this tumor
Summary
Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide (Shah and Gil, 2009). More than 90% of all oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) (Attar et al, 2010; Bagan et al, 2010) and this type of cancers composes About 95% of oral cancers in India (Krishna et al, 2014). Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes, and a diet low in fresh fruits and vegetables have recently been implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of oral SCC (Petti, 2009; Shah and Gil, 2009). It has been reported that the E-cadherin/ β-catenin system of adhesion molecules plays a crucial role in this processes (Weis and Nelson, 2006). Alterations in the cell-cell adhesion complex, E-Cadherin/β-Catenin, have been implicated in the oncogenesis of carcinomas arising from various anatomic sites and have been correlated with adverse clinico-pathological parameters (Shen et al, 2011; Bhagat et al, 2013; Pang et al, 2013; Xu et al, 2013; Ayed-Guerfali et al, 2014; Kanczuga-Koda et al, 2014)
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