摘要AIM: To examine the immunoreactivity of E-cadherin and four subtypes of catenin family in human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and to investigate the correlation between expression of E-cadherin/catenin complex and clinicopathologic parameters of HCC patients.METHODS: An immunohistochemical study for E-cadherin and catenins was performed on 97 formalin-fixed,paraffin-embedded specimens of HCC.RESULTS: Reduced expression of E-cadherin,α-,β-,γ-catenin and p120 was observed in 69%,76%,63%,71% and 73%,respectively.Both expressions of E-cadhedn and catenin components were significantly correlated with tumor grade (P = 0.000).It showed significant difference between expression of catenin members and tumor stage (P = 0.003,P = 0.017,P = 0.007 and P = 0.000,respectively).The reduced expression of E-cadherin in HCCs was significantly correlated with intrahepatic metastasis (IM) and capsular invasion (P = 0.008,P = 0.03,respectively).A close correlation was also observed between the expression of catenins and the tumor size (P = 0.002,P = 0.034,P = 0.016 and P = 0.000,respectively).In addition,the expression of each catenin was found correlated with IM (P = 0.012,P = 0.049,P =0.026 and P = 0.014,respectively).No statistically significant difference was observed between the expression level of E-cadherin/catenin complex and lymph node permission,vascular invasion and satellite nodules.Interestingly,only expression of p120 showed correlation with AFP value (P = 0.035).The expression of E-cadherin was consistent with α-,β-,γ-catenin and p120 expression (P = 0.000).Finally,the abnormal expression of E-cadherin/catenin complex was significantly associated with patients' survival (P= 0.0253,P = 0.0052,P = 0.003,P = 0.0105 and P= 0.0016,respectively).Nevertheless,no component of E-cadherin/catenin complex was the independent prognostic factor of HCC patients.CONCLUSION: Down-regulated expressions of E-cadherin,catenins and p120 occur frequently in HCCs and contribute to the progression and development of tumor.It may be more exact and valuable to detect the co-expression of E-cadherin/catenin complex than to explore one of them in predicting tumor invasion,metastasis and patient's survival.