Abstract: ObjectiveTo detect the expressions of Numb and αcatenin in the gastric cancer and matched normal gastric mucosa, and to analyze their relationship with clinicopathological factors of gastric cancer and explore their roles in gastric carcinogenesis and progression. MethodsImmunohistochemical method was used to detect the expressions of Numb and αcatenin in 109 cases of tumor specimens and 97 cases of matched normal gastric mucosa. The correlations between Numb, αcatenin and clinicopathological factors were analyzed. ResultsThe positive rates of Numb and αcatenin in gastric cancer were significantly lower than those in normal gastric mucosa (60.6%∶100.0%, χ2=48.361, P=0.000; 76.1%∶100.0%, χ2= 26.480, P=0.000). The expression of Numb protein was correlated with Lauren type (χ2=17.018, P=0.000) and tubular adenocarcinoma differentiation (χ2=17.586, P=0.000). The expression of αcatenin protein was correlated with Borrmann type (χ2=6.700, P=0.035), Lauren type (χ2=11.098, P=0.001), tubular adenocarcinoma differentiation (χ2=8.203, P=0.017) and lymph node metastasis (χ2=6.402, P=0.011). The expressions of Numb and αcatenin were statistically correlated in 109 cases of gastric cancer (rk=0.184, P=0.028). ConclusionCompared with normal gastric mucosa, both Numb and αcatenin expressions are downregulated and the two expressions are correlated in gastric cancer. Numb and αcatenin may be involved in the regulation of histological differentiation of gastric cancer by certain passages, Numb protein may be adjusted by αcatenin pathway which is involved in Wntβcatenin pathway, and thus plays an important role in promoting cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis in human gastric cancer.

Key words: Stomach neoplasms, alpha Catenin, Immunohistochemistry, Numb