上皮钙黏素/链接素黏附复合体在鼻咽癌组织中的表达及意义

Significance of E-cadherin/catenin adhesion complex expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

目的探讨鼻咽癌组织中上皮钙黏素(E-CAD)、β-链接素(β-CAT)和α-链接素(α-CAT)的表达情况及与临床病理特征的关系。方法应用免疫组化SP法检测52例鼻咽非角化癌及其癌旁黏膜组织中E-CAD、β-CAT和α-CAT的表达。结果鼻咽癌组织中E-CAD、β-CAT及α-CAT的异常表达率分别为48.1%、32.7%及34.6%,而全部52例癌旁黏膜上皮中均正常表达E-CAD、β-CAT和α-CAT,癌组织的异常表达率显著高于癌旁组织(P<0.05)。鼻咽癌的E-CAD、β-CAT、α-CAT表达之间呈正相关(P<0.05)。α-CAT正常表达的鼻咽癌患者外周血中抗EB病毒病毒壳抗原IgA(VCA-IgA)滴度高于异常表达者(P<0.01)。E-CAD、β-CAT、α-CAT的表达与其他临床病理特征无相关性。结论鼻咽非角化癌中E-CAD/β-CAT/α-CAT黏附复合体明显异常表达,三者表达具有一致性。E-CAD、β-CAT、α-CAT表达下调与鼻咽癌临床分期和淋巴结转移缺乏必然联系。

Objective To elucidate the expression pattern of E-cadherin/catenin adhesion complex and its association with pathologic features in nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC）. Methods Fifty-two non-keratinizing NPC specimens with adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa were examined for E-cadherin, β-CATenin, α-CATenin. Results Abnormal expression rate of E-cadherin, β-catenin and α-catenin in NPCs were 48. 1% （25/52） , 32. 7% （17/52） and 34. 6% （18/52）, respectively, whereas all adjacent non-neoplastic tissues normally expressed these proteins. Difference of expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin and α-catenin between tumor tissues and non-cancerous tissues was statistically significant（P 〈 0. 01 ）. There were possitive correlations between the expression of E-CAD and α-CAT, β-CAT and α-CAT,E-CAD and β-CAT,respectively. Serum level of anti-Epstain-Barr Virus Viral Capsid Antigen IgA （VCA-IgA） titers in NPCs with normal α-catenin expression was significantly higher than that in NPCs with abnormal α-catenin expression （ P 〈 0. 01 ）. Conclusion Abnormal expression of E-cadherin/β-catenin/ α-catenin complex features largely in non-keratinizing carcinoma of nasopharynx, there are positive correlations among the expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin and α-catenin. Downregulation of E-cadherin/catenin adhesion complex does not necessarily favore advanced disease stage or lymph node metastasis in NPC.