PMID: 19137776Jan 14, 2009Paper

The specific features of the expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in adenomyosis

Arkhiv patologii
Iu V GorbachevaI N Voloshchuk

Abstract

The expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium was studied in 40 patients with adenomyosis and 12 without this condition, by using an immunohistochemical test and enzyme immunoassay. There was increased expression of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium in adenomyosis. The cytoplasmic expression of beta-catenin was also revealed in the smooth muscle cells surrounding the foci of adenomyosis. The E-cadherin concentration measured by enzyme immunoassay was significantly higher in the endometrium and myometrium of patients with adenomyosis than in the controls. There was a higher expression of this protein with a longer duration of the disease. Thus, the formation of ectopic foci in adenomyosis may be argued to be unassociated with the decreased adhesion of epithelial cells. On the contrary, the authors documented the enhanced adhesion of epithelial cells in the ectopic foci, which was likely to be adaptive due to the altered microcirculation.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cadherins and Catenins

Cadherins (named for "calcium-dependent adhesion") are a type of cell adhesion molecule (CAM) that is important in the formation of adherens junctions to bind cells with each other. Catenins are a family of proteins found in complexes with cadherin cell adhesion molecules of animal cells: alpha-catenin can bind to β-catenin and can also bind actin. β-catenin binds the cytoplasmic domain of some cadherins. Discover the latest research on cadherins and catenins here.