Evaluation Of E-cadherin And β-catenin In The Prediction Of Liver Metastasis Of Colorectal Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE:Intercellular adhesion plays an important role in cell development, differentiation,and carcinogenesis, which determines the polarity of cells and participates in themaintenance of the normal histological structure .To achieve intercellular adhesion,epithelial cells possess various cell junctions, the composition and function ofwhich must be tightly regulated, and that conceivably depend on multiple molecularinteractions. E-cadherin andβ-catenin are classical cell adhesion molecules, theyplay a pivotal role in suppression of cancer invasion and metastasis. The purpose ofthis study is to investigate the abnormal expression of E-cadherin andβ-catenin incolorectal carcinoma and its correlation with liver metastasis of colorectalcarcinoma.METHODS:The abnormal expression of E-cadherin andβ-catenin was detected usingimmunohistochemical methods in 30 colorectal carcinoma tissues without livermetastasis, 30 with preoperative liver metastasis, 30 with postoperative livermetastasis and 30 surrounding normal colorectal tissues. And its correlation withgender, age, tumor location, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, Dukesstages, and liver metastasis was analyzed too. SPSS 10.0 was used to evaluate thestatistical significance. RESULTS:The abnormal expression of E-cadherin1. The abnormal expression of E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma wassignificantly higher than that in surrounding normal colorectal tissue (70.0%vs 0.0%) , the differences were statistically significant (P=0.000).2. The abnormal expression of E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma had nocorrelation with gender (P=0.782) , age (P=0.211) and tumor location(P=0.919) , but it was related to depth of invasion (77.6% vs 47.8%)(P=0.007), lymph node metastasis (78.5% vs 48.0%) (P=0.005) and Dukesstages (77.6% vs 47.8%) (P=0.007). Abnormal expression rates of E-cadherinin penetrating serosa group, lymph node metastasis group and C+D stage groupwere remarkably greater than those in without penetrating serosa, withoutlymph node metastasis and A+B stage, the differences were statisticallysignificant.3. The abnormal expression of E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma without livermetastasis was significantly lower than those in tissues with preoperative livermetastasis(90.0% vs 43.3%), the differences were statistically significant(P=0.000).4. The abnormal expression of E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma without livermetastasis was significantly lower than those in tissues with postoperative livermetastasis(76.7% vs 43.3%) , the differences were statistically significant(P=0.009). higher than that in surrounding normal colorectal tissue (80.0% vs 0.0%), thedifferences were statistically significant (P=0.000).2. The abnormal expression ofβ-catenin in colorectal carcinoma had nocorrelation with gender (P=0.833) , age (P=0.262) and tumor location(P=0.295) , but it was related to depth of invasion (89.6% vs 52.2%)(P=0.000), lymph node metastasis (86.2% vs 64.0%) (P=0.019) and Dukesstages (85.1% vs 65.2%) (P=0.027). Abnormal expression rates ofβ-cateninin penetrating serosa group, lymph node metastasis group and C+D stage groupwere remarkably greater than those in without penetrating serosa, withoutlymph node metastasis and A+B stage, the differences were statisticallysignificant.3. The abnormal expression ofβ-catenin in colorectal carcinoma without livermetastasis was significantly lower than those in tissues with preoperative livermetastasis (93.3% vs 60.0%), the differences were statistically significant(P=0.002).4. The abnormal expression ofβ-catenin in colorectal carcinoma without livermetastasis was significantly lower than those in tissues with postoperative livermetastasis (75.3% vs 60.0%) , the differences were statistically significant(P=0.021).CONCLUSIONS:E-cadherin andβ-catenin plays a role in the course of generation, development andmetastasis of colorectal carcinoma. The high abnormal expression of E-cadherinandβ-catenin in colorectal carcinoma tissues may be considered as an indicator forliver metastasis.