Membrane loss and aberrant nuclear localization of E-cadherin are consistent features of solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas. An immunohistochemical study using two antibodies recognizing different domains of the E-cadherin molecule.

Journal article

AIM: To examine the expression of E-cadherin in solid pseudopapillary tumours (SPT) of the pancreas using two monoclonal antibodies recognizing two different domains of the E-cadherin molecule. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty cases of SPT were collected and a tissue microarray (TMA) constructed. The TMA was stained with commercially available antibodies to E-cadherin and beta-catenin. All 20 cases displayed nuclear beta-catenin as well as aberrant E-cadherin expression. With the antibody that stains the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin (clone 36, BD Transduction Laboratories), all 20 cases demonstrated nuclear E-cadherin reactivity, whereas with use of the antibody that recognizes the extracellular domain (clone 36B5, Vector Laboratories), no reactivity was observed in any of the cases. CONCLUSION: This study shows that aberrant beta-catenin and E-cadherin protein expression occurs in 100% of SPT, is probably linked mechanistically to beta-catenin nuclear localization, and two distinct patterns of E-cadherin immunoreactivity are seen in SPT: nuclear (with the antibody against the cytoplasmic domain), or immunonegativity (complete loss) when stained with the antibody for the E-cadherin extracellular fragment.

Authors: Chetty, R; Serra, S

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Histopathology
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 325-330
• Publication date: 2008-02-01
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2559.2007.02949.x
• EISSN: 1365-2559
• ISSN: 0309-0167
• Language: English
• Keywords: Carcinoma, Papillary; Middle Aged; Child; Adolescent; Cell Membrane; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Adult; Male; Cadherins; Pancreatectomy; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Markers, Biological; Cell Nucleus; Humans; Female; Immunohistochemistry