Higher expression of epidermal growth factor receptor is associated with extracellular matrix metalloprotease inducer in colorectal adenocarcinoma: tissue microarray analysis of immunostaining score with clinicopathological parameters.
OBJECTIVE
Extracellular matrix metalloprotease inducer (EMMPRIN) expression was demonstrated in several cancers, but its expression profile in colorectal cancers remains unclear. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was reported to regulate EMMPRIN expression in human epithelial cancers. Our purpose was to determine EMMPRIN expression and its relationship with EGFR in colorectal cancers.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical analysis of EMMPRIN and EGFR was performed in tissue microarray slides of 90 surgical specimens including 32 well differentiated, 35 moderately differentiated, and 23 poorly differentiated colorectal adenocarcinomas.


RESULTS
All colorectal adenocarcinomas showed significant immunohistochemical expression of EMMPRIN. The EMMPRIN scores in poorly differentiated (303 +/- 21) and moderately differentiated (326 +/- 17) colorectal adenocarcinoma were significantly higher than in well differentiated (166 +/- 20) colorectal adenocarcinoma. EGFR expression was mainly on the cell surface of tumor cells and the immunostaining scores of EGFR were significantly associated with the advanced clinical T and N stages. A significantly positive relationship between EMMPRIN and EGFR immunostaining scores was also noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased expression of EMMPRIN and EGFR in colorectal adenocarcinomas is associated with clinicopathological parameters of advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma stages. In addition, the data from this study support the notion that EGFR expression may up-regulate EMMPRIN expression.
Jin
Jong-Shiaw
JS
Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. jsjin@ndmctsgh.edu.tw
Wu
Chi-Ying
CY
Lin
Yeh-Feng
YF
Wang
Jia-Yi
JY
Yu
Cheng-Ping
CP
Sheu
Lai-Fa
LF
Chiang
Hung
H
Tsai
Wen-Chiuan
WC
Lee
Wei-Hwa
WH
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D051926:Basigin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation
D051926:Basigin; D066246:ErbB Receptors