Altered Expression Of E-cadherin/P120 Complex In Human Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinomas: Correlation With Clinicopathologic Parameters And Patients' Survival

Objectives To investigate the relationships between the methylation of CDH1 gene, the expression of E-cadherin/p120 and the clinicopathologic parameters in ICCs. Methods An MSP for CDH1 gene, an immunohistochemical study for E-cadherin/p120 protein and a RT-PCR for E-cadherin/p120 mRNA was performed on 42 specimens of intrahepatic cholangiaocarcinoma (ICC), respectively. Results The methylation of CDH1 occurred in 28.6% of ICC patients,while the reduced expression of E-cadherin /p120 mRNA and protein were found in 59.5% vs 64.3%, 64.3% vs 73.8%, respectively. The expression of E-cadherin was concordance with that of P120 and the methylation of CDH1 gene. There was a significant difference between the methylation of CDH1 and intrahepatic metastasis, E-cadherin/p120 expression and the tumor histological grad, pTNM stage, intrahepatic metastasis and patients' survival. Only p120 was found to be an independent prognostic factor of ICC patients by Cox regression model. Conclusion: The methylation of CDH1 gene and down-regulated expression of E-cadherin/p120 occurred frequently in ICCs and contributed to the progression and development of tumor. Both of E-cadherin and p120 could be valuable biologic markers at predicting on tumor invasion, metastasis and patients' survival, but only p120 was an independent prognostic factor of ICCs.