Abstract: Objective To detect the promoter methylation status of E-cadherin gene in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and to evaluate its possible relation to the protein expression of E-cadherin.Methods Tissue specimens were resected from 10 normal human controls and 43 patients with SCC,and examined for promoter methylation status of E-cadherin gene by methylation-specific PCR(MSP).The protein expression of E-cadherin was measured by immunohistochemistry SP method.Results The E-cadherin expression was decreased or absent in 69.7%(30/43)of all SCC cases,61.3%(19/31)of SCC cases without lymphonode-metastasis and 91.7%(11/12)of SCC cases with lymphnode-metastasis.The promoter methylation of E-cadherin was detected in 39.5%(17/43)of all SCC specimens.Patients with SCC with lymph node metastases showed a higher frequency of E-cadherin promoter methylation than those without.The protein expression of E-cadherin was lower in patients with E-cadherin promoter methylation than those without.Conclusion The abnormal expression of E-cadherin,likely to be induced by its promoter methylation,may be related to the metastasis of SCC.

Key words: Carcinoma, squamous cell, Methylation, Cadherins