Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Frequent nuclear expression of β-catenin protein but rare β-catenin mutation in pulmonary sclerosing haemangioma

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary sclerosing haemangioma (PSH) is an uncommon tumour that is composed of glandular/papillary lining cells and polygonal cells. The biological behaviour of this tumour has been investigated; however, the molecular pathogenesis of PSH remains unknown.

Aims: To characterise the role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the genesis of PSH.

Methods: 37 PSH samples were investigated immunohistochemically for detection of the β-catenin protein and direct sequencing of exon 3 of the β-catenin gene.

Results: Nuclear expression of β-catenin was found in the lining component of 23 tumours (62%) and in the polygonal component of 11 tumours (30%). The expression of β-catenin was stronger in the lining component, but weaker in the polygonal component. Interestingly, all the tumours with expression of β-catenin in the polygonal component also expressed β-catenin in the lining component. However, mutation of exon 3 of the β-catenin gene was detected in only one tumour that expressed nuclear β-catenin in lining and polygonal components.

Conclusions: The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is involved in the genesis of PSH, but mutation of exon 3 of the β-catenin gene rarely contributes to the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in PSH.

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.