Expression and significance of α-catenin human squamous cervical carcinoma

Objective To investigate the expression of α-catenin in human squamous cervical carcinoma and its significance.Methods The expression of α-catenin was studied with immunohistochemistry in paraffin-bedded biopsy and surgical specimens of normal cervical tissue(10 cases),cervical intraepithelial neoplastic lesions(15 cases)and invasive squamous cervical cacinoma(48 cases).Results Statistical significance of α-catenin expression was observed between normal cervical tissue,cervical intraepithelial neoplastic lesions and invasive squamous cervical cacinoma(P0.01).There was a statistic difference between the expression of α-catenin and grades of cervical carcinoma and lymph node metastasis status(P0.05).The expression of α-catenin had no correlation with the level of serum SCC-Ag in patients and other clinical pathologic parameters(P0.05).Conclusion Down-regulation of α-catenin may depress occurrence and progression of the squamous cervical carcinoma.The expression of α-catenin may help clinical outcome in cervical cancer patients.