IngentaConnect beta-Catenin expression in the transitional cell zone of pilomatr...

Authors: Park S-W.¹; Suh K-S.²; Wang H-Y.¹; Kim S-T.²; Sung H-S.¹

Source: British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 145, Number 4, October 2001 , pp. 624-629(6)

Abstract:

Background bgr

-Catenin, a participant in the Wnt pathway, has been shown to play an important role in the morphogenesis of hair follicles and the formation of hair follicle-related tumours, including pilomatricomas. It has been observed that at least 75% of human pilomatricomas possess activating mutations in bgr

-catenin. These findings suggested that bgr

-catenin plays an important role in the tumorigenesis of pilomatricomas. However, the pattern of bgr

-catenin expression in pilomatricoma tissues is still unclear.

Objectives To examine the expression of bgr

-catenin in human pilomatricomas by immunohistochemical staining.

Methods Twenty-six formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples of pilomatricoma tissue were studied.

Results Most transitional cells of pilomatricoma expressed bgr

-catenin strongly, but the basophilic cells and shadow cells did not. bgr

-Catenin showed a prominent membranous immunoreactivity and a small amount of condensed cytoplasmic staining, but there was definitely no evidence of nuclear positivity.

Conclusions These findings imply that bgr

-catenin is primarily involved in cell–cell adhesion rather than cellular proliferation during pilomatricoma pathogenesis, and suggest that if bgr

-catenin is involved in pilomatricoma tumorigenesis and tumour growth, it plays an indirect role.

Keywords: bgr -catenin; pilomatricoma; transitional cell zone

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.2001.04433.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Dermatology, Pusan Paik Foundation Hospital, Inje University Medical College, 633-165 Kaekum-Dong, Pusanjin-Ku, Pusan 614-735, Korea 2: Department of Dermatology, Gospel Hospital, Kosin University Medical College, Korea

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$50.16 plus tax Refund Policy

-Catenin expression in the transitional cell zone of pilomatricoma