Skip to main content
Log in

The expressions and significance of α-, β-catenins and cyclin D1 in breast cancers

  • Published:
The Chinese-German Journal of Clinical Oncology

Abstract

Objective

To study the relationship between expressions of α-, β-catenins and cyclin D1 and the occurrence, infiltration and metastasis of breast cancer.

Methods

High sensitive S-P immunohistochemical method was used to detect the protein expressions of α-, β-catenins and cyclin D1 in the 60 cases of breast cancer tissues.

Results

Abnormal immunoreactivities of α-and β-catenins were observed in 37 (61.7%) and 42 (70%) cases of breast cancer tissues, respectively. There were 28 cases (46.7%) who showed cyclin D1 overexpression. The abnormal expression rates of α-and β-catenins in infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) were significantly higher than those in infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) (P < 0.05), but they had no relations to the extent of differentiation and lymphatic metastasis of breast cancer (P > 0.05). The overexpression rate of cyclin D1 was correlated with tumor stage and lymphatic metastasis of breast cancer (P < 0.05), but not with histological type and the extent of differentiation (P > 0.05). Cyclin D1 overexpression was observed in 57.1% (24/42) of these cases that showed abnormal staining of β-catenin, but only observed in 22.2% (4/18) of these cases with normal membranous staining of β-catenin. There was a significantly positive correlation between the abnormal expression of β-catenin and overexpression of cyclin D1 (r s = 0.321, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The abnormal expression of β-catenin may play an important role in the genesis of breast cancer by triggering cyclin D1 overexpression in breast cancer. The abnormal expressions of α-and β-catenins are not a key factor in malignant cell metastasis in breast cancer, but may also involve in the progress.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cui J, Zhou XD, Liu YS. Wnt pathway and neoplasm. Fore Med Sci Cancer Sect (Chinese), 2000, 27: 138–140.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lim SC, Lee MS. Significance of E-cadherin/beta-catenin complex and cyclin D1 in breast cancer. Oncol Rep, 2002, 9: 915–928.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lin SY, Xia W, Wang JC, et al. Beta-catenin, a novel prognostic marker for breast cancer: its roles in cyclin D1 expression and cancer progression. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2000, 97: 4262–4266.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Gonzalez MA, Pinder SE, Wencyk PM, et al. An immunohistochemical examination of the expression of E-cadherin, alpha-and beta/gamma-catenins, and alpha2-and beta1-integrins in invasive breast cancer. J Pathol, 1999, 187: 523–529.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Maruyama K, Ochiai A, Akimoto S, et al. Cytoplasmic beta-catenin accumulation as a predictor of hematogenous metastasis in human colorectal cancer. Oncology, 2000, 59: 302–309.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ishikawa T, Furihata M, Ohtsuki Y, et al. Cyclin D1 overexpression related to retinoblastoma protein expression as a prognostic marker in human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Br J Cancer, 1998, 77: 92–97.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Li Z, Lin SX, Liang YJ. Detection of gene promoter methylation and mRNA, protein expression levels of E-cadherin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Chin J Pathol (Chinese), 2003, 32: 25–30.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Li YJ, Ji XR. Relationship between the expression of β-cat, cyclin D1 and c-myc and the occurrence and biological behavior of pancreatic cancer. Chin J Pathol (Chinese), 2003, 32: 238–241.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Saito T, Oda Y, Sakamoto A, et al. Prognostic value of the preserved expression of the E-cadherin and catenin families of adhesion molecules and of beta-catenin mutations in synovial sarcoma. J Pathol, 2000, 192: 342–350.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Liang Zeng.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zeng, L., Chen, S., Liu, Z. et al. The expressions and significance of α-, β-catenins and cyclin D1 in breast cancers. Chin. -Ger. J. Clin. Oncol. 7, 335–338 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-008-0033-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-008-0033-z

Key words

Navigation