Significance and expression of E-cadherin,β-catenin and PTEN in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia tissues

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of E-cadherin,β-catenin and PTEN in cervical squamous cell carcinoma(CSCC) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.METHODS: Expression of E-cadherin,β-catenin and PTEN were examined by using immunohistochemical staining in 75 CSCCs,30 cervical intraepithelial neoplasias(CIN) and 10 normal cervical epithelia.RESULTS: In normal cervical epithelia,CINⅠ,CINⅡ-Ⅲ and CSCC specimens,the positive expression rates of E-cadherin were 100.0%,85.7%,50.0% and 37.3%,respectively;the aberrant high expression rates of β-catenin were 0,28.6%,62.5% and 84.0%;the positive expression rates of PTEN were 100.0%,78.6%,56.3% and 40.0%.There were significant differences among the expression of all of those in normal cervical epithelia,CINⅠand CSCCs(P0.05),in normal cervical epithelia and CINⅡ-Ⅲ(P0.05).Positive expression rate of E-cadherin and PTEN were associated with histopathologic grading,nodal metastasis and clinical staging(P0.05).The aberrant expression rate of β-catenin was associated with histopathologic grading and nodal metastasis(P0.05),but was not with clinical staging(P0.05).It was positive correlation that E-cadherin expression was in comparison with PTEN protein expression in CSCCs,but negative correlation with the aberrant expression of β-catenin,and then the latter was negative correlation with PTEN positive expression.CONCLUSIONS: It may have an important role in the carcinogenesis,progression and metastasis of CSCC that there are the deletion and decrease in expressions of E-cadherin and PTEN and that there is an aberrant expression of β-catenin,and that they have close relations among the expression of E-cadherin,PTEN and β-catenin in CSCC.