Sonic hedgehog mRNA expression by real-time quantitative PCR in normal and tumor tissues from colorectal cancer patients.
Shh is expressed in the early stages of embryogenesis and in the foregut development. Although Shh has been shown to be overexpressed in brain, pancreas, gastric and lung cancers, its role in the development of colorectal cancer has not been examined. We used real-time quantitative PCR to assess Shh mRNA expression levels in tumor and matched normal tissue from 57 colorectal cancer patients and correlated the results with patient clinicopathological characteristics. Shh expression levels were higher in tumor tissue than in normal tissue from the same patient (P=0.00001). Higher levels of Shh expression were associated with early stage disease (P=0.02). Shh overexpression may influence the development of colorectal cancer.
Monzo
Mariano
M
Department of Anatomy, Faculty Medicine UB, Casanova 143, 08036 Barcelona, and Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Municipal Badalona, Spain. mmonzo@ub.edu
Moreno
Isabel
I
Artells
Rosa
R
Ibeas
Rafael
R
Navarro
Alfons
A
Moreno
Jose
J
Hernandez
Raquel
R
Granell
Miquel
M
Pie
Jordi
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*
D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C509239:SHH protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators