Comparative Evaluation of β-Catenin and E-Cadherin Expression in Liquid Aspiration Biopsy Specimens of Thyroid Nodules

We compared the results of gene molecular and immunocytochemical studies of β-catenin and E-cadherin in different variants of nodular thyroid disease (nodular colloid goiter, follicular thyroid adenocarcinoma, papillary thyroid cancer) and revealed changes of the function of the E-cadherin/β-catenin complex leading to switching from adhesion function of β-catenin in nodular colloid goiter to predominantly transcriptional activity in papillary carcinoma. The results confirm the important role of disturbances in E-cadherin–β-catenin interactions in the mechanisms of malignant transformation of follicular epithelium.