钙粘蛋白是细胞间粘附蛋白，与癌症侵袭、传播和转移能力密切相关；因此，它们是上皮间质转化（EMT）计划的关键参与者。然而，它们在胶质母细胞瘤（GBM）（一种原发性中枢神经系统侵袭性肿瘤）中的作用仍有待阐明。对大量 GBM 上的 N-、E- 和 P-钙粘蛋白表达进行了分析，以临床、影像和神经病理学参数以及患者的生存数据为特征。此外，在匹配复发病例中研究了钙粘蛋白的表达。使用 TCGA 数据，还根据 GBM 转录亚型评估了钙粘蛋白表达谱。在 81.5% 的 GBM 中观察到 N-钙粘蛋白表达，其次是 31% 的 E-钙粘蛋白和 20.8% 的 P-钙粘蛋白。肿瘤复发时，与原发肿瘤相比，P-钙粘蛋白是唯一显着上调的钙粘蛋白，在 65.8% 的病例中呈阳性。事实上，在 51.4% 匹配的原发-复发病例中观察到 P-钙粘蛋白增加。还探讨了钙粘蛋白的共表达。有趣的是，E-和N-钙粘蛋白共表达鉴定出具有频繁上皮分化和显着生存益处的GBM亚群。另一方面，P-钙粘蛋白表达的亚组预后较差。 P-和N-钙粘蛋白共表达与间充质表型的存在相关。分离的P-钙粘蛋白的表达或E-和P-钙粘蛋白的共表达与侵袭性、高度异质性肿瘤以及较差的患者生存率的成像特征相关。经典的钙粘蛋白共表达亚组表现出一致的临床、影像、神经病理学和生存差异，这可能反映了 GBM 中 EMT 样程序的不同状态。

Cadherins are cell-cell adhesion proteins which have been strongly implicated in cancer invasion, dissemination and metastasis capacity; thus, they are key players in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program. However, their role in glioblastoma (GBM), a primary central nervous system aggressive tumor, remains to be clarified. N-, E- and P-cadherin expression was analyzed on a large series of GBMs, characterized with clinical, imaging and neuropathological parameters, as well as with patients' survival data. In addition, cadherins' expression was studied in match-recurrent cases. Using TCGA data, cadherin expression profiles were also evaluated according to GBM transcription subtypes. N-cadherin expression was observed in 81.5% of GBM, followed by E-cadherin in 31% and P-cadherin in 20.8%. Upon tumor recurrence, P-cadherin was the only significantly upregulated cadherin compared with the primary tumor, being positive in 65.8% of the cases. Actually, P-cadherin gain was observed in 51.4% of matched primary-recurrent cases. Cadherins' co-expression was also explored. Interestingly, E- and N-cadherin co-expression identified a GBM subgroup with frequent epithelial differentiation and a significant survival benefit. On the other hand, subgroups with P-cadherin expression carried the worse prognosis. P- and N-cadherin co-expression correlated with the presence of a mesenchymal phenotype. Expressions of isolated P-cadherin or E- and P-cadherin co-expression were associated with imaging characteristics of aggressiveness, to highly heterogeneous tumors, an d to worse patient survival. Classical cadherins co-expression subgroups present consistent clinical, imaging, neuropathological and survival differences, which probably reflect different states of an EMT-like program in GBM.