High levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 in patients with colorectal cancer: association with disease progression.
OBJECTIVE
Contribution of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) to tumor progression has been suggested. However, little is known about the role of TGF-beta 1 in colorectal cancer. Plasma TGF-beta 1 levels and its expression were analyzed in patients with colorectal cancer.


METHODS
Plasma TGF-beta 1 levels were measured in 22 patients with colorectal cancer using a TGF-beta 1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of TGF-beta 1 messenger RNA and immunohistochemical distribution of the protein in colorectal cancer tissues were examined.


RESULTS
Plasma TGF-beta 1 levels in patients with colorectal cancer (14.8 +/- 8.4 ng/mL) were significantly higher than in normal controls (1.9 +/- 1.4; n = 22) (P < 0.001). After curative surgical resection, plasma TGF-beta 1 levels decreased in examined patients from 11.9 +/- 6.7 to 3.8 +/- 1.2 ng/mL (P < 0.01). TGF-beta 1 messenger RNA was about 2 1/2 times more abundant in colorectal cancer tissues than in control (P < 0.01). TGF-beta 1 was detected in the cytoplasm of colorectal cancer cells immunohistochemically. Both TGF-beta 1 messenger RNA expression in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and its plasma levels were associated with tumor stage of Dukes' classification (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that plasma TGF-beta 1 levels may reflect overexpression of the gene in colon cancer tissues and are associated with disease progression.
Tsushima
H
H
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
Kawata
S
S
Tamura
S
S
Ito
N
N
Shirai
Y
Y
Kiso
S
S
Imai
Y
Y
Shimomukai
H
H
Nomura
Y
Y
Matsuda
Y
Y
Matsuzawa
Y
Y
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta