Zonula occludens-1, occludin, and E-cadherin protein expression in biliary tract cancers.

The incidence of cholangiocarcinomas originating from intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, as well as of gallbladder carcinoma is increasing worldwide. The malignant transformation of biliary epithelia involves profound alterations of proteins in the intercellular junctions, among others zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, and E-cadherin. Each plays important role in the maintenance of epithelial cell polarity and regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Our aim was to investigate ZO-1, occludin, and E-cadherin immunohistochemical reactions in tissue microarray blocks containing 57 normal and 62 neoplastic biliary tract samples. We demonstrated that the tight junction components ZO-1, occludin, and E-cadherin are downregulated in carcinomas arising from various compartments of the biliary tract (normal intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, gallbladder) as compared with their normal sites of origin. These results were confirmed by discriminant analysis yielding clear separation of the three normal sample groups from carcinomas in the corresponding locations.