Loss of E-cadherin Function is Suggested to be Associated with Peritoneal Seeding in Colorectal Cancer

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We investigated whether the loss of E-cadherin function was related to the peritoneal seeding in colorectal carcinomas. METHODS: Eleven patients who had undergone a palliative resection for a colorectal carcinoma, with peritoneal seeding, were enrolled onto the study. The primary tumors and seeding nodules were analyzed with regarded to mutations in the expressions of the CDH1 and protein of E-cadherin using SSCP, direct sequencing and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: In the primary tumors, the E-cadherin was normally expressed in 9 of the 11 cases, with 2 cases showing a reduced expression. In the seeding nodules, the E-cadherin was normally expressed in 6 of the 11 cases, with 5 cases showing a reduced expression. The degree of E-cadherin expression in the seeding nodules was significantly decreased comparing to that in the primary tumors (Pctaggt (intron 2) and GTG>GTA (codon 782). CONCLUSION: The loss of E-cadherin expression might be related to peritoneal seeding. The functional derangement of E-cadherin in peritoneal seeding could possibly be caused by a mechanism, such as promoter methylation, rather than the mutation of the CDH1.