Original Article


Caveolin-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin in Gastric Carcinoma, Precancerous Tissues and Chronic Non-atrophic Gastritis

Guo-yang Sun, Jun-xia Wu, Jian-sheng Wu, Yu-ting Pan, Rong Jin

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the expressions of caveolin-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin in gastric carcinoma, precancerous gastric and chronic non-atrophic gastritis tissues, and evaluate the correlation of these expressions with the development of gastric cancer.
Methods: The expressions of caveolin-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin were detected by biotin-streptavidinperoxidase (SP) immunohistochemistry on 58 gastric cancer tissues, 40 precancerous gastric tissues and 42 chronic non-atrophic gastritis tissues. The correlation between the expressions of caveolin-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin, and the clinicopathologic parameters of gastric cancer was analyzed retrospectively.
Results: The positive rates of caveolin-1 and E-cadherin expressions in gastric carcinoma were significantly lower than precancerous gastric and chronic non-atrophic gastritis tissues (P<0.01). An abnormal rate of β-catenin expression in gastric carcinoma was higher than precancerous gastric and chronic non-atrophic gastritis tissues (P<0.01). Moreover, low expressions of caveolin-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin correlated with tumor size, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (P<0.05). The positive rates of caveolin-1 and E-cadherin expressions decreased (P<0.01), while an abnormal rate of β-catenin expression increased inversely, with the degree of atypical hyperplasia (P<0.01). Caveolin-1 expression correlated positively with E-cadherin (r=0.41, P<0.05). Caveolin-1 (r=0.36, P<0.05) and E-cadherin (r=0.45, P<0.05) expressions negatively correlated with abnormal β-catenin expression.
Conclusion: These results suggested that dysregulated expressions of caveolin-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin correlated with the development of gastric cancer and its biological behavior.