Abstract:

[Abstract] Objective To explore the expression and the clinical significance of neural cadherin (N- cadherin) in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods The expression of N- cadherin was detected by immunohistochemical method in 26patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and5samples of normal bile duct tissues. The expression of N-cadherin was also compared by Western blotting assay between perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and paraneoplastic tissues.Results The im? munohistochemical results showed that positive expression of N-cadherin was observed in14of26patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and in6of26paraneoplastic samples (53.84%vs23.08%,P<0.05). There was 0N-cadherin expres? sion in normal bile duct tissues. The positive rate of N-cadherin expression was higher in low differentiated group than that in middle and well differentiated groups. The result of Western blotting assay showed that N-cadherin expression was signifi? cantly higher in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma than that in the paraneoplastic tissues (0.88±0.12vs0.43±0.09, P<0.05) Conclusion N-cadherin may be involved in the occurrence and development of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Key words: Neural cadherin, Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, Immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting