Expression of Pin1, beta-catenin and cyclin D1 in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma and its significance / 中华口腔医学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of Pin1, beta-catenin and cyclin D1 in salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas (SACC) and to evaluate the role of beta-catenin and Pin1 in SACC carcinogenesis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expressions of Pin1, beta-catenin and cyclin D1 were examined in the specimens of 65 patients with SACC by immunohistochemistry, and Pin1 protein and mRNA expressions detected by Western blot and RT-PCR in four SACC cell lines.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Pin1 was overexpressed in 51 cases of ACC (78%), and 41 (63%) cases showed positive immunoreactivity for cyclin D1 protein in the nuclear fraction in tumor tissues. Fourteen (22%) cases showed positive immunoreactivity for beta-catenin protein in the nuclear/cytoplasmic fraction in tumor tissues, 6 of which exhibited quite evident expression of beta-catenin in nucleolus. The expression of membranous beta-catenin was down-regulated in most of the patients with lymph node metastasis (11/14).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results suggest that Pin1 and beta-catenin signalling pathway were activated in SACC and might play a pivotal role in SACC carcinogenesis and metastasis.</p>