title: Serum sulfatase activity is more elevated in colonic adenomas than cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Elucidation of molecular basis of the adenomatous polyps (AP) and colorectal cancer (CRC) development is crucial for their prevention, early detection, and treatment. According to the recent discoveries, sulfatases are implied in extracellular matrix remodeling and degradation and also in the regulation of certain signaling pathways. However, their exact role in carcinogenesis remains unclear. Because the majority of CRCs arise from AP, the aim of our studies was the investigation of sulfatase activity in adenomas and adenocarcinomas and verification of possible usefulness of sulfatase activity determination as an indicator of the presence and discrimination between adenomas and carcinomas. PATIENT-METHODS: One hundred twenty individuals were enrolled in the study. We assayed serum sulfatase activity in 79 patients with colorectal neoplasms (38 CRC and 41 AP) and 41 controls. Enzyme activity was determined colorimetrically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found statistically higher serum sulfatase activity in patients with colonic neoplasms than in controls (124; 112-139 vs. 79.5; 73-87 U). The activity was more elevated in adenomas (149; 128-173 U) than in cancers (103; 90-112 U). Sulfatase activity exceeded the cutoff value in 71% of AP and 47% of CRC patients. It increased with number of adenomas and tended to decrease with tumor progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sulfatases seem to be involved in the early stages of colonic neoplastic transformation which is reflected in their serum activity. The likelihood of elevated sulfatase activity is almost ten times higher in subjects with than without polyps. Sulfatase upregulation in majority of adenomas and their correlation tendencies warrants reconsideration of sulfatase determination as a possible diagnostic tool.
authors.affiliation: Medical Biochemistry Department, Wroclaw Medical University, Chalubinskiego 10, 50-368 Wroclaw, Poland. matusie@bioch.am.wroc.pl
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matusiewicz
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krzystek-Korpacka
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diakowska
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grabowski
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Augoff
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blachut
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paradowski
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kustrzeba-Wojcicka
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piast
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banas
mesh_terms: D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D003124:Colorimetry; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C470791:SULF1 protein, human; D015238:Sulfotransferases