Expression of markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in various forms of vulvar cancer

Autor: Elena P. Ulianova, Angelina V. Busarova, Natalya V. Porkhanova, Aleksandr B. Sagakyants, Natalia A. Petrusenko, Oksana G. Shulgina, Elena N. Chernikova, Svetlana M. Bakulina, Tatiana F. Pushkareva, Ekaterina V. Verenikina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Clinical Oncology. 40:e17532-e17532
ISSN: 1527-7755
0732-183X
Popis: e17532 Background: Vulvar cancer is a rare gynecologic tumor accounting for 2–5% of all gynecologic cancers. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is considered one of the factors contributing to the aggressive behavior of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma. E- and N-cadherins are key regulators of this transition. The purpose of our study was to identify the features of the expression of EMT markers in vulvar cancer as prognostic factors. Methods: The study included 30 patients aged 39-70 years, mean age 52 years, with vulvar cancer: control group (n = 15) with vulvar cancer T1-2N0-M0 (G2); main group (n = 15) with vulvar cancer T1-2N1-M0 (G2) with metastases to inguinal lymph nodes. Immunohistochemical study was performed on sections from paraffin blocks of tumors using monoclonal mouse antibodies to E-cadherin (12#, Cloud-Clone Corp.) and N-cadherin (389, Invitrogen) and the UltraVision Quanto Detection System HRP DAB. Expression of E- and N-cadherin was semiquantitatively analyzed according to the cell percentage and stain intensity: 0 (0-10%); 1+ (11-30%); 2+ (31-70%); 3+ (> 70%). Expression was considered positive if the score was ≥2. Pearson's χ² test and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. Results: The maximum staining for E-cadherin was observed in the control group (in 73%), for N-cadherin - in the main group (in 59%). Median expressions of E- and N-cadherin differed: in the control group, 70 [40-78] and 26 [0-40]; in the main group, 47 [45-60] and 59 [27-65]. Pearson's chi-squared test showed that patients with E-cadherin+ tumors (p = 0.006) statistically significantly prevailed in the control group, and patients with N-cadherin+ tumors (p = 0.027) prevailed in the main group. However, when considering the correlation between E-cadherin and N-cadherin in the groups, no statistically significant differences were found (rs = -0.042 in the control group and rs = 0.250 in the main group at p > 0.05), apparently due to the limited sample. Conclusions: The immunohistochemical study revealed a tendency towards loss of E-cadherin and increased expression of N-cadherin, which is often associated with poor prognosis.
Databáze: OpenAIRE