title: Expression level of Wnt signaling components possibly influences the biological behavior of colorectal cancer in different age groups.
abstract: Advancing of age apparently influences the behavior of colorectal cancer (CRC). The pattern of activation and expression of Wnt target genes may influence the behavior of the cancer. In the present study, the level of activation of some elements of Wnt signaling was evaluated and correlated with the patient's age and clinicopathological characteristics of the tumor. Beta-catenin and c-Myc mRNA expressions were evaluated by semiquantitative real-time PCR, and subcellular localization of the beta-catenin protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Patients aged 70-84 tended to have locally advanced disease more frequently than younger patients. The same group of patients also more frequently had high nuclear expression of beta-catenin protein and higher expression of c-Myc mRNA. Beta-catenin mRNA had a rather constant expression with advancing of age. High nuclear expression of beta-catenin and high expression of c-Myc were apparently also correlated with locally advanced disease. We concluded that the level of Wnt signaling activation might influence the behavior of the disease in different age groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Immunology, Aging and Developmental Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan.
authors.forename: Heinrich B K
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Seidler
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Utsuyama
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Tamiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Katsuiku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirokawa
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin