The aim of this study was to determine whether modulation of expression of cell adhesion molecules may occur in neoplastic transformation of endometrial epithelium.
Materials and methods: E-Cadherin and α-catenin protein expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 124 biopsies representative of normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium.
Results: In normal endometrium (proliferative, secretive and atrophic endometrium) strong homogeneous, E-cadherin and α-catenin reactivity was found; 58.3% and 66.6% of biopsies representative of simple hyperplastic endometrium were homogeneously positive for E-cadherin and α-catenin, respectively, whereas no samples representative of atypical hyperplasia showed evidence of homogeneous E-cadherin or α-catenin expression. No expression of homogeneous E-cadherin was seen in endometrial adenocarcinomas; α-catenin homogeneous immunostaining was observed in 2 G1 and 2 G2 out of 22 adenocarcinoma samples (18.2%). A homogeneous co-expression of both molecules was seen only in normal (70%) and simple hyperplastic (46%) endometrium.
Conclusion: These results suggest that E-cadherin and α-catenin down-regulation might be associated with neoplastic transformation of endometrial tissues.