Expression of Cadherin/Catenin Cell—Cell Adhesion Molecules in a Onychomatricoma

Abstract

Onychomatricoma is a rare nail tumor with a distinctive architecture. Proximally, there are serum-filled invaginations of nail matrix epithelium into the stroma, and distally, dermal protrusions perforate the nail plate. Because other matrical tumors of follicular and odontogenic origin express nuclear β-catenin, we examined the expression of cadherin/catenin proteins in this onychomatricoma case. The patient presented with a toenail yellow streak, and the biopsy revealed an onychomatricoma. E-cadherin and β-catenin were at the cell membrane in the epithelial invaginations. P-cadherin was restricted to basal cells. In contrast to other matrical tumors, nuclear β-catenin was not present. These results suggest that onychomatricoma may lack the transcriptional activating role of β-catenin that characterizes follicular and odontogenic matrical tumors. This is the first report on the expression of cadherin/ catenin cell—cell adhesion proteins in this rare nail tumor.