Expression of cadherins and catenins in paired tumor and non-neoplastic primary prostate cultures and corresponding prostatectomy specimens

Abstract

Cadherins are a family of transmembrane proteins that play a crucial role in cell differentiation, cell migration, and intercellular adhesion. Cadherins are associated with catenins through their highly conserved cytoplasmic domain. Down-regulation of E-cadherin protein has been shown in various human cancers. This study examined the expression of cadherins and associated catenins at the mRNA level. Paired tumor and nonneoplastic primary prostate cultures were obtained from surgical specimens. Quantitative multiplex fluorescence reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (QMF RT-PCR) and quantitative analysis were performed and correlated with immunostain results. Six of seven cases of neoplastic cultures showed moderately-to-markedly decreased levels of E-cadherin and P-cadherin mRNA. Similar losses of alpha-catenin and beta-catenin mRNA were also observed. The results of QMF RT-PCR showed good correlation with the results of immunohistochemical studies based on corresponding formalin-fixed sections. In conclusion, this paper presents a coordinated down-regulation in the expression of E-cadherin and associated catenins at the mRNA and protein level in most of the cases studied. This down-regulation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer.

Overexpression of E‐cadherin and β‐Catenin proteins in metastatic prostate cancer cells in bone

“…In comparison to the BPH cells, a significantly reduced/loss of expression of both E-cadherin and b-catenin proteins was observed in the primary prostate cancer cells. The pattern and frequency of expression of E-cadherin and b-catenin protein in BPH cells and at the primary prostate cancer cells were consistent with the previously reported findings [11][12][13]. In contrast to the primary prostate cancer cells, a significantly high frequency of metastatic cancer cells in bone were positive for the membranous expression of both E-cadherin and b-catenin proteins, a pattern remarkably similar to that of the BPH cells.…”

“…E-cadherin and b-catenin protein expression with respect to their intercellular adhesion function has been well-documented in normal prostate epithelial cells [11,12]. In addition, reduced or loss of expression of these intercellular adhesion proteins in primary invasive prostate cancer cells has also been reported [7].…”

A Switch from E-Cadherin to N-Cadherin Expression Indicates Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition and Is of Strong and Independent Importance for the Progress of Prostate Cancer

“…In breast cancer, increased expression has been related to the ''basaloid phenotype'' and a worse prognosis (16). In benign prostate tissue, P-cadherin has been promoted as a novel basal cell marker (17,18) but has also been variably detected in subgroups of prostate cancers (12,18,19). Prognostic implications of this finding are not known.…”

Role of PSMA in Aberrant Cell Cycle Progression in Prostate Cancer

“…CD26 has been shown to regulate cell migration and proliferation independent of its enzymatic activity (20). CD26 is known to bind adenosine deaminase, an enzyme involved in irreversible deamination of adenosine, and this association has been shown to be essential for the promotion of cell proliferation and cytokine production (29). CD26 has also been shown to affect the migratory behavior of T cells through interactions with extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen and fibronectin (22,44).…”