title: Sonic hedgehog-Gli1 pathway in colorectal adenocarcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway in colorectal adenocarcinomas through analysis of the expression of Shh pathway-related molecules, Shh, Ptch1, hedgehog-interacting protein (Hip), Gli1, Gli3 and PDGFRalpha.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of Shh in 25 colorectal adeno-carcinomas was detected by RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Expression of Ptch1 was observed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Expression of Hip, Gli1, Gli3 and PDGFRalpha was analyzed by in situ hybridization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of cytokeratin AE1/AE3 was observed in the cytoplasm of colorectal crypts. Members of the Hh signaling pathway were expressed in colorectal epithelium. Shh was expressed in cytoplasm of dysplastic epithelial cells, while expression of Ptch1, Hip and Gli1 were mainly detected in the malignant crypts of adenocarcinomas. In contrast, PDGFRalpha was expressed highly in aberrant crypts and moderately in the stroma. Expression of Gli3 could not be detected in colorectal adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that Shh-Ptch1-Gli1 signaling pathway may play a role in the progression of colorectal tumor.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Biology, College of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250010, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Shu-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jing-Wu
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D053564:Keratins, Hair-Specific / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D000074290:Zinc Finger Protein Gli3
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C065683:GLI3 protein, human; C117596:HHIP protein, human; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D053564:Keratins, Hair-Specific; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; C000606236:PTCH1 protein, human; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C509239:SHH protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D000074290:Zinc Finger Protein Gli3; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha