Overexpression of connective tissue growth factor WISP-1 in Chinese primary rectal cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the expression change of Wnt-induced secreted protein-1 (WISP-1) in human rectal cancer and to determine whether it is correlated with invasion and metastasis of human rectal cancer.


METHODS
Eighty-six paired samples of rectal cancer and surgically resected distant normal rectal tissue were collected and allocated into cancer group and control group respectively. WISP-1 mRNA was detected by relative quantitative real-time RT-PCR and WISP-1 protein was examined by immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
WISP-1 gene overexpression was found in 65% (56/86) primary rectal cancers, 2-30 times that of the level in normal matched rectal tissues (P = 0.001). The mRNA expression level was correlated with Duke's staging, histological differentiation grade and lymph node status. The WISP-1 protein expression was in accordance with mRNA expression level. The positive degree of immunohistochemical staining in the cancer group (1.40 +/- 0.35) was different from that in control group (1.04 +/- 0.08, P < 0.001). Moreover, in cancer group the positive staining degree in high-level mRNA cancers (1.46 +/- 0.37, n = 56) was higher than that in low-level mRNA (1.28 +/- 0.28, n = 30, P = 0.018).


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant levels of WISP-1 expression may play a role in rectal tumorigenesis. WISP-1 may be used as a specific clinical diagnosis and prognosis marker in rectal cancer.
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
Chao
C
Tian
Zong-Guang
ZG
Zhou
Wen-Jian
WJ
Meng
Xiao-Feng
XF
Sun
Yong-Yang
YY
Yu
Li
L
Li
Hong-Zhi
HZ
Luo
Lie
L
Yang
Bin
B
Zhou
Jun
J
Gu
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D055511:CCN Intercellular Signaling Proteins; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D055511:CCN Intercellular Signaling Proteins; C116396:CCN4 protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger