Dark Aberrant Crypt Foci with activated Wnt pathway are related to tumorigenesis in the colon of AOM-treated rat.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the relationship between Aberrant Crypt Foci (ACF) and tumorigenesis, we observed the sequential development from ACF to tumor in the colon of azoxymethane-exposed wistar rats.


METHODS
Sixty wistar rats were sacrificed at different time points after exposure to azoxymethane and the colons were stained with methylene blue for stereomicroscopic analysis.


RESULTS
We found two types of early lesions: classic ACF and dark ACF. Dark ACF were characterized by dark blue staining, mildly enlarged or small compressed crypts that are not elevated from the surrounding epithelium. Large dark ACF and nascent tumors displayed the same surface morphology. Furthermore, dark ACF grew significantly faster than classic ACF and showed dysplasia without hyperplasia. In contrast, classic ACF showed hyperplasia without dysplasia. Dark ACF has significant higher expression rate of beta-catenin (100%) and MMP-7 (81.82%) compared with the expression of beta-catenin and MMP-7 in classic ACF (4.84% and 7.87%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicated that dark ACF is closely related to tumorigenesis while classic ACF is not. Furthermore, Wnt signal pathway was activated during the early period of dark ACF.
Lu
Qing
Q
The Institute for Digestive Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China. qinglu76@163.com
Jiang
Bo
B
Lin
Chen
C
Shan
Tao
T
D000818:Animals; D001397:Azoxymethane; D002273:Carcinogens; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
D002273:Carcinogens; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7; D001397:Azoxymethane