Expression and significance of EphA2 and E-cadherin in bladder urothelium carcinoma

Objective:To investigate the expressions and clinical significance of erythropoietin-producing human hepatocelluar A2 (EphA2) and E-cadherin in bladder urothelium carcinoma (BTCC).Methods:The expressions of EphA2 and E-cadherin proteins were detected by immunohistochemisty in 50 cases of BTCC and 10 cases of normal bladder mucosa.Results:The expression of EphA2 was negative and the E-cadherin expression was normal in all the 10 normal bladder mucosa.Abnormal EphA2 and E-cadherins expressions were found in 40 and 28 cases of BTCC (80.0%,56.0%).Abnormal EphA2 expression was positively related to the grade and the stage of BTCC (P<0.05),but negatively related to lymph node metastasis (P>0.05).Abnormal E-cadherin expression was negatively correlated to the grade,stage (P<0.05) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.008).The expression of EphA2 was inversely correlated with that of E-cadherin in BTCC (P<0.05).Conclusions:The expressions of EphA2 and E-cadherin are closely related to the biological behavior of BTCC.Detection of EphA2 and E-cadherin in BTCC may have prognostic value for the degree of malignancy.