Overexpression of S100A4 is closely associated with progression of colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether S100A4 played an important role in the development or progression of colorectal cancer.


METHODS
A total of 124 colorectal adenocarcinoma tissue specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the expression of S100A4 protein and subsequently investigated for the gene mutations in the coding region of S100A4 gene. The specimens were collected over a 3-year period in the laboratories at our large teaching hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea.


RESULTS
Normal colonic epithelium either failed to express or showed focal weak expression of S100A4. Moderate to strong cytoplasmic expression of S100A4 was seen in 69 (55.6%) of the 124 colorectal carcinoma tissue specimens. S100A4 expression was detected in 43 (69.4%) of 62 specimens with lymph node metastasis. Statistically, overexpression of S100A4 was significantly associated with Dukes' stage and lymph node metastasis. Nuclear staining was also observed in 24 (19.4%) of 124 samples and closely associated with Dukes' stage. However, there was no significant correlation between overexpression of S100A4 and other investigated clinico-pathologic parameters, including tumor localization, tumor size, and survival period. In mutational analysis, no gene mutation was found in the analyzed genomic area of colorectal cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Overexpression of S100A4 may be closely related with the aggressiveness of colorectal carcinoma.
Cho
Yong-Gu
YG
Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701, South Korea.
Kim
Chang-Jae
CJ
Nam
Suk-Woo
SW
Yoon
Shin-Hee
SH
Lee
Sug-Hyung
SH
Yoo
Nam-Jin
NJ
Lee
Jung-Young
JY
Park
Won-Sang
WS
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D000071999:S100 Calcium-Binding Protein A4; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D017931:DNA Primers; D000071999:S100 Calcium-Binding Protein A4; D009418:S100 Proteins; C077591:S100A4 protein, human