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Expression and localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin in uterine carcinosarcoma

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Abstract

This study was designed to analyze the subcellular localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin both of which play a critical role in cell–cell adhesion in uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS). We performed an immunohistochemical reaction analysis of the subcellular localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin proteins in 46 cases of UCSs consisting of 28 UCSs with heterologous sarcoma and 18 UCSs with homologous sarcoma and compared their clinicopathological features. In most UCSs, membranous expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin was completely lost in sarcomatous components, but it was preserved in carcinomatous components. Nuclear β-catenin expression was observed significantly more frequently in sarcomatous components (31/46, 67.4%) than in carcinomatous components (22/46, 47.8%; P = 0.0025). In sarcomatous components, nuclear β-catenin expression was found significantly more frequently in heterologous sarcoma (23/28, 82.1%) than in homologous sarcoma (8/18, 44.4%; P = 0.0279). The stage was the only independent prognostic significant factor. These results suggest that reduced membranous expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin may contribute to the biphasic morphology of UCS. Furthermore, although the precise mechanism is unclear, nuclear β-catenin expression in sarcomatous components may also be associated with biphasic morphology and heterologous sarcomatous differentiation.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Yoko Kamitani for her excellent technical assistance. We thank KN International for revising the English used in this article.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan

    Izumi Nishimura, Yoshihiro Ohishi, Yoshinao Oda, Masafumi Yasunaga, Emi Okuma & Masazumi Tsuneyoshi

  2. Department of Diagnostic Laboratory, Kyushu University Hospital at Beppu, Beppu, Japan

    Yoshihiro Ohishi

  3. Digital Medicine Initiative, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Junji Kishimoto

  4. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

    Hiroaki Kobayashi & Norio Wake

Authors
  1. Izumi Nishimura
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  2. Yoshihiro Ohishi
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  9. Masazumi Tsuneyoshi
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Correspondence to Yoshihiro Ohishi.

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Nishimura, I., Ohishi, Y., Oda, Y. et al. Expression and localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin in uterine carcinosarcoma. Virchows Arch 458, 85–94 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-010-1002-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-010-1002-9

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