Expression of E-cadherin-catenin complex in human benign schwannomas

• M. Hasegawa ^[1] ; N. Muramatsu ^[1] ; Y. Tohma ^[1] ; K. Fukaya ^[1] ; H. Fujisawa ^[1] ; Y. Hayashi ^[1] ; O. Tachibana ^[1] ; S. Kida ^[1] ; J. Yamashita ^[1] ; K. Saito ^[2]
  1. [1] Kanazawa University

     Kanazawa University

     Japón

     
  2. [2] Toyama Municipal Hospital
• Localización: Histology and histopathology: cellular and molecular biology, ISSN-e 1699-5848, ISSN 0213-3911, Vol. 17, Nº. 1, 2002, págs. 39-44
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The Ca2+-dependent cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin has been known to express in normal and reactive Schwann cells in rodents, and to play an important role in Schwann cell-Schwann cell adhesion and maintenance of peripheral nervous tissue architecture. However, little is known about expression of E-cadherin in schwannomas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cellular expression and localization of E-cadherin, and its associated protein, alpha E-, alpha N- and beta-catenins in human schwannomas, which are supposed to derive from Schwann cells. We tested the hypothesis that these proteins might show an altered expression/distribution in schwannoma cells which correlates with their neoplastic behavior, including sparse cell-cell contact, as seen those in meningiomas and various carcinomas. In human schwannomas, however, E-cadherin, alpha E-catenin, and beta-catenin were detected by western blotting and immunohistochemistry, whereas alpha N-catenin was not. Immunoprecipitation using anti-E-cadherin antibody resulted in alpha E-catenin forming a complex with E-cadherin. SSCP analysis revealed no mutations in the transmembrane domain or in intracellular catenin-binding site of E-cadherin. These data suggest that the E-cadherin-alpha E-catenin complex is well preserved in human schwannoma cells, which is compatible with its benign behavior, and these molecules might be used as additional cell markers of Schwann cell-derived tumors.