[Reduction of p120(ctn) isoforms is significantly associated with lymph node metastasis of lung cancer.].
p120(ctn) plays an important role in cell adhesion and has a significant association with tumorigenesis. To investigate the expression of p120(ctn) (p120 cateinin) isoforms in lung squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas, and analyze the correlation between p120(ctn) and clinicopathological parameters. The expression patterns of p120(ctn) in lung cancer tissues and the corresponding normal lung tissues were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunofluorescence, RT-PCR, and Western blot were used to investigate the expression of p120(ctn) isoforms in lung cancer cell lines BE1 and LH7. Compared with corresponding normal lung tissues, lung cancer tissues have significantly lower levels of total mRNA, isoform1 and 3 mRNA (P <0.001, P <0.001, P =0.001). Furthermore, reduction of p120(ctn) isoform 1 mRNA is negatively associated-whereas p120(ctn) isoform 3 is positively associated-with lymphatic metastasis (P =0.01, P =0.029). BE1 cells with 94% metastatic frequency has lower levels of p120(ctn) isoforms than LH7 cells with low metastatic potential. Reductions of p120(ctn) isoform 1 and 3 mRNA is a common phenomenon in lung cancer tissues and may play a role in metastasis progression of human lung cancer.