Expression of E-cadherin in primary oral squamous cell carcinoma and metastatic lymph nodes: an immunohistochemical study.
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2009-01-02
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BACKGROUND: E-cadherin plays an important role in cell-to-cell adhesion and cell motility and its loss is associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of E-cadherin in various grades of OSCC and to correlate changes in the expression between these various grades and metastatic lymph nodes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect E-cadherin expression in normal oral mucosa, primary OSCC (n = 37), and metastatic lymph nodes (n = 10). E-cadherin immunoreactivity was correlated with grades of differentiation and with clinicopathological features.
RESULTS: E-cadherin immunoreactivity was found to inversely correlate with the loss of cell differentiation. The expression of E-cadherin decreased significantly in advanced cases of OSCC. However, increase in E-cadherin immunoreactivity was seen in early lesions, that is, in well differentiated (n = 9) and moderately differentiated OSCC (n = 13). Furthermore, E-cadherin was negative in majority of metastatic lymph nodes (7/10).
CONCLUSIONS: Loss of the cell adhesion and E-cadherin plays an important role in progression of OSCC, that is, down regulation of its expression is associated with de-differentiation and metastasis.
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Kaur G, Carnelio S, Rao N, Rao L. Expression of E-cadherin in primary oral squamous cell carcinoma and metastatic lymph nodes: an immunohistochemical study. Indian Journal of Dental Research. 2009 Jan-Mar; 20(1): 71-6