Aberrant expression of krUppel-like factor 6 protein in colorectal cancers.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether krUppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) plays an important role in the development and/or progression of colorectal cancer.


METHODS
A total of 123 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded colorectal cancer specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarray for the expression of KLF6 protein. The specimens were collected over a 3-year period in the laboratories at our large teaching hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The correlation of KLF6 expression with clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed by chi2 test and Bartholomew test.


RESULTS
Normal colonic epithelium showed weak to moderate expression of KLF6, whereas reduced KLF 6 expression or loss of KLF6 expression was seen in 45 (36.6%) of the 123 colorectal carcinoma specimens. Interestingly, aberrant expression of KLF6 was detected in 25 (43.1%) of 58 cases with metastasis to regional lymph node and in 31 (47.0%) of 66 tumors more than 5 cm in size. Statistically, loss of KLF6 expression was significantly associated with tumor size (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between KLF6 expression and Dukes'stage (Bartholomew test, P > 0.05), tumor location and lymph node metastasis (chi2 test, P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of KLF6 expression may be a common and early event in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Cho
Yong-Gu
YG
Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701, Korea.
Choi
Byung-Jun
BJ
Song
Jae-Whie
JW
Kim
Su-Young
SY
Nam
Suk-Woo
SW
Lee
Sug-Hyung
SH
Yoo
Nam-Jin
NJ
Lee
Jung-Young
JY
Park
Won-Sang
WS
D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D000075723:Kruppel-Like Factor 6; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
C105465:KLF6 protein, human; D000075723:Kruppel-Like Factor 6; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins