The activity of RhoA is correlated with lymph node metastasis in human colorectal cancer.
Rho family GTPases play a pivotal role in the regulation of numerous cellular functions associated with malignant transformation and metastasis. To evaluate the role of these GTPases in colorectal cancer, the protein expression levels and activities of these proteins in matched sets of tumor and non-tumor tissues of surgical specimens were analyzed. The relationship between the protein levels and activities in tumor tissues to the clinicopathological features was also assessed. The expression levels of RhoA, active RhoA, Rac1, and active Rac1 in tumor tissues were higher than in normal tissues. The amounts of active RhoA protein in primary tumors correlated with lymph nodes metastasis. No relationship was noted between the protein expression levels and other clinicopathological findings. These findings suggest that the Rho family small GTPases are related to malignant transformation and progression of colorectal cancer and the activation of RhoA is associated with the lymph node metastasis.
Takami
Yoji
Y
Department of General Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.
Higashi
Morihiro
M
Kumagai
Shinpei
S
Kuo
Paul C
PC
Kawana
Hidetada
H
Koda
Keiji
K
Miyazaki
Masaru
M
Harigaya
Kenichi
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
C066737:RHOA protein, human; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; D020742:rhoA GTP-Binding Protein