Loss of human E-cadherin (ECD) correlated with invasiveness of transitional cell cancer in the renal pelvis, ureter and urinary bladder

• Published in: Cancer letters Vol. 103; no. 1; pp. 11 - 17
• Main Authors: Wakatsuki, Shun-ji, Watanabe, Ryusuke, Saito, Kazuhide, Saito, Toshiro, Katagiri, Akiyoshi, Sato, Shotaru, Tomita, Yoshihiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 15.05.1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; alpha Catenin; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Cadherins - analysis; Cadherins - biosynthesis; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - physiopathology; Cytoskeletal Proteins - biosynthesis; DNA Primers; E-cadherin; Gene Expression; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Kidney Neoplasms - pathology; Kidney Neoplasms - physiopathology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Molecular Sequence Data; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Papilloma - pathology; Papilloma - physiopathology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - analysis; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Transitional cell cancer; Tumors of the urinary system; Ureteral Neoplasms - pathology; Ureteral Neoplasms - physiopathology; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - pathology; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - physiopathology; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; α-catenin; E-cadherin; Transitional cell cancer; α-catenin; Human; Urinary system disease; Pathogenesis; Ureteral disease; Urinary tract disease; Transitional cell carcinoma; Malignant tumor; Cadherin; Adhesion; Invasion; Urinary bladder; Pelvis pathology; Tumor progression; Bladder disease; Junction
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-3835(96)04194-8

Loss or decreased expression of E-cadherin (ECD), which forms an epithelial junction complex that includes several other proteins and triggers signal transduction, may contribute to tumor progression. In the present study, we examined 90 transitional cell cancers (TCCs), 47 urinary bladder cancers and 43 ureteral or renal pelvic cancers, as well as TCC and papilloma cell lines to determine whether they express ECD. We classified ECD expression into normo-expression (like normal epithelial), decreased and loss of ECD staining on TCCs (urinary bladder, renal pelvic or ureteral). We found that low-stage TCCs expressed normal ECD in 68%, decreased of ECD in 20% and loss of ECD in 12%, whereas high-stage TCCs expressed 29%, 41% and 30% of ECD staining, respectively ( P < 0.01). Furthermore, grade 1 TCCs were all estimated to show normoexpression, grade 2 TCCs expressed normal ECD in 49%, decreased of ECD in 41% and loss of ECD in 10% grade 3 TCCs classified as 20%, 30% and 50%, respectively ( P < 0.01). Staining for cultured cell lines showed positive membranous staining for ECD in a benign papilloma cell line, RT4 and a TCC cell line, HT1376, but not in a TCC cell line, T24. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction showed the presence of ECD and α-catenin mRNA in RT4 and HT1376, and only α-catenin in T24. Thus, it is more likely -that decrease or loss of ECD might contribute to the malignant character of tumor cells and result in tumor progression.