Genetic and protein changes of E-cadherin in meningiomas

Expression of E-cadherin and lysyl oxidase-like 2 in cholangiocarcinoma

AIM: To examine the expression of lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) and E-cadherin in cholangiocarcinoma, and to analyze their relationship with clinicopathological features of cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS: Streptavidin-peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemical method and SYBR green real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression of LOXL2 and E-cadherin in 47 cases of cholangiocarcinoma, 47 matched tumor adjacent tissues, and 20 normal bile duct tissues.

RESULTS: Expression of LOXL2 protein was significantly higher in cholangiocarcinoma than in matched tumor adjacent tissues and normal bile duct tissues (68.1% vs 10.6%, 10.0%, P < 0.05). Expression of E-cadherin protein was significantly lower in cholangiocarcinoma than in paired tumor adjacent tissues and normal bile duct tissue (21.3% vs 74.5%, 95.0%, P < 0.05). Expression of LOXL2 mRNA was significantly higher in cholangiocarcinoma than in paired tumor adjacent tissues and normal bile duct tissues (154.63 ± 128.96 vs 5.35 ± 11.85, 4.52 ± 10.79, P < 0.05). Expression of E-cadherin mRNA was significantly lower in cholangiocarcinoma than in paired tumor adjacent tissues and normal bile duct tissues (0.18 ± 0.25 vs 0.95 ± 0.62, 1.08 ± 0.33, P < 0.05). Down-regulation of E-cadherin and up-regulation of LOXL2 were related with tumor differentiation, stage, lymph node metastasis and distant organ metastasis (P < 0.05). The expression of E-cadherin was negatively related to that of LOXL2.

CONCLUSION: Expression of E-cadherin is significantly lower and that of LOXL2 is significantly higher in cholangiocarcinoma. Expression of E-cadherin and LOXL2 is associated with tumor differentiation, stage, lymph node metastasis and distant organ metastasis in cholangiocarcinoma.