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. 1994 Apr;144(4):667–674.

Immunohistochemical detection of alpha-catenin expression in human cancers.

H Shiozaki 1, K Iihara 1, H Oka 1, T Kadowaki 1, S Matsui 1, J Gofuku 1, M Inoue 1, A Nagafuchi 1, S Tsukita 1, T Mori 1
PMCID: PMC1887239  PMID: 8160768

Abstract

The function of E-cadherin is thought to be regulated by its associated cytoplasmic proteins including alpha-catenin. To determine whether possible downregulation of alpha-catenin expression may play a role in tumor invasion and metastasis through the dysfunction of E-cadherin, we investigated the expression of alpha-catenin in human carcinoma samples (esophagus, stomach, and colon) by immunohistochemistry using our monoclonal antibody against alpha-catenin (alpha-18). Normal epithelium expressed alpha-catenin strongly without exception. However, alpha-catenin expression was frequently reduced in primary tumors of esophagus (12 of 15:80%), stomach (14 of 20: 70%), and colon (8 of 10: 80%). Of the tumors with reduced alpha-catenin expression, alpha-catenin expression was completely negative in 70.6% of them (9 of 12 in esophagus, 9 of 14 in stomach, and 6 of 8 in colon). These results also suggested that some human cancer cells may have impaired E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesiveness through the downregulation of alpha-catenin expression.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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