E-cadherin cell-adhesion molecule expression as a diagnostic adjunct in urothelial cytology

✍ Scribed by Jeffrey S. Ross; Chhieng Cheung; Christine Sheehan; Arthur D. del Rosario; Hai X. Bui; Hugh A.G. Fisher

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 691 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 8755-1039
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0339(199605)14:4<310::aid-dc6>3.0.co;2-j

✦ Synopsis

E-cadherin (E-CD) is a cell-adhesion molccule that has been associated with invasion and metastasis in a wide variety of human neoplasms. We have recently shown that, although decreased E-CD expression is associated with increased bladder-wall invasion and higher tumor grade of injltrating transitional ceN curcinomas (TCC), E-CD expression in the exophytic portion ofpure papillary and papillary-infiltrating TCC is increased over that of normal transitional cells. To evaluate whether E-CD levels could serve as a diagnostic adjunct in urinary cytology specimens, we stained 40 alcohol-jxed bladder-washing cytospin preparations with an avidin-biotin-peroxidase method using a monoclonal antibody to E-CD (Sigma Chemical Co.. St. Louis, MO). E-CD expression level was defined as a high-intensity or low-intensity staining increase over background squamous ctdl staining for the transitional cells in 21 biopsy-proven transiticwl cell carcinomas

with papillary components, and in I 9 benign or reactive control specimens. Twenty-one of 21 TCC (100%) showed an increased E-CD level over background, with 13 low-intensity and 8 highintensity cases. Ten of 19 benign cases (53%) showed increased E-CD staining over background, with 8 low-irztensity and 2 highintensity cases. This difference between malignant and benign specimens was .statistically .significant (chi-squnre test, P = 0.001). We conclude that increased E-CD expressi(m in the papillary components of TCC can be identijed in uri)aary cytology specimens, may reflect the physical and chemicul srructural makeup of papillary architecture, and warrants jbrther study as a diagnostic adjunct in the interpretation of urine cytology specimens.