Stains & CD markers
Beta catenin
Copyright: 2003-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: beta catenin[title]
Beta catenin
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 1 August 2015
Last staff update: 21 April 2022
Copyright: 2003-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: beta catenin[title]
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Pathophysiology | Clinical features | Diagrams / tables | Uses by pathologists | Microscopic (histologic) images | Positive staining - normal | Positive staining - disease | Negative stainingCite this page: Pernick N. Beta catenin. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/stainsbetacatenin.html. Accessed June 1st, 2023.
Definition / general
- Protein encoded by CTNNB1 gene, coordinates cell-cell adhesion and gene transcription (Wikipedia: Beta Catenin [Accessed 18 December 2018])
Pathophysiology
- Part of Wnt signalling pathway, highly conserved pathway with critical role in embryologic development (Dev Cell 2009;17:9), carcinogenesis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
- Upon Wnt activation, β catenin is translocated from membrane (where it interacts with E-cadherin) to cytoplasm and nucleus, where it interacts with transcriptional activators
Clinical features
- Mutations and overexpression of β catenin are associated with various carcinomas
- Colon: plays a critical role in tumorigenesis (mutations in APC or β catenin present in 90% of colon cancers)
- Thyroid: pathway important for anaplastic and possibly papillary thyroid carciomas (Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2012;3:31)
- Uterus: endometrioid endometrial carcinoma is associated with β catenin mutations
Diagrams / tables
Images hosted on other servers:
Cadherins and catenins in signal transduction
Role of β catenin in cell
Uses by pathologists
- Interpretation: nuclear staining is significant in fibroblasts; nuclear or cytoplasmic staining is significant in epithelial cells
- Classify hepatocellular adenoma subtypes and distinguish from focal nodular hyperplasia (Am J Surg Pathol 2012;36:1691, Int J Hepatol 2013;2013:268625, Hum Pathol 2013;44:750)
- Positive / mutated in fibromatosis (Mod Pathol 2012;25:1551)
- Distinguish mesenteric fibromatosis (positive with nuclear staining due to mutations in APC / β catenin pathway causing nuclear accumulation) from GIST tumors (negative) and sclerosing mesenteritis (negative, Am J Surg Pathol 2002;26:1296)
- Distinguish fibromatosis (diffuse or rarely focal nuclear staining for deep tumors) from low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma and other myofibroblastic, or fibroblastic tumors / sarcomas (negative for nuclear staining, Am J Surg Pathol 2005;29:653)
- Identify isolated tumor cells in neuroblastoma (Am J Clin Pathol 2009;131:49)
- Poor prognostic factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (Hum Pathol 2013;44:1357)
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Colon: serrated adenoma
Colon: normal and carcinoma
Liver: metastatic
colorectal carcinoma
in sentinel lymph
node and liver
Soft tissue: liposarcoma
Positive staining - normal
- Fibroblasts and endothelial cells (cytoplasmic-membranous staining)
Positive staining - disease
- Breast: fibromatosis, phyllodes tumors (spindle cell component), metaplastic carcinoma (23%, Mod Pathol 2010;23:1438)
- Colon serrated adenomas (particularly with dysplasia, Am J Surg Pathol 2009;33:1823)
- Colon neoplasms with Paneth cell differentiation (Hum Pathol 2009;40:872)
- Desmoid-type fibromatosis
- Endometrioid carcinoma of endometrium and ovary, particularly squamous morules (Hum Pathol 2005;36:605)
- Liver: hepatoblastoma and possibly nested stromal epithelial tumor (Hum Pathol 2012;43:1815)
- Neuroblastoma (Am J Clin Pathol 2009;131:49)
- Ovarian microcystic stromal tumor (Am J Surg Pathol 2011;35:1429)
- PNET, rhabdomyosarcoma, Wilm tumor (childhood, Am J Clin Pathol 2009;131:49)
- Pancreas: solid papillary neoplasm (Am J Clin Pathol 2009;132:831)
- Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (Am J Clin Pathol 2011;135:776)
- Renal angioleiomyoma (Am J Clin Pathol 2011;135:776)
- Solitary fibrous tumors (nuclear staining in 33%, remainder had membranous or membranous / cytoplasmic staining, Arch Pathol Lab Med 2005;129:776)
Negative staining
- GIST, sclerosing mesenteritis, low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, myofibroblastic or fibroblastic tumors
