Clinicopathological significance of caspase-8 and caspase-10 expression in rectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of caspase-8 and -10 in rectal adenoma, adenocarcinoma and the corresponding normal mucosa tissue, and to clarify the relationship between their expression and clinicopathological parameters of rectal cancer.


METHODS
The expression of caspase-8 and -10 was determined by real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in 36 rectal adenomas, 93 rectal cancers and 93 corresponding normal rectal mucosa samples.


RESULTS
Compared with normal mucosa, the mRNA expression of caspase-8 was higher in adenomas (p = 0.003), while that of caspase-10 was lower in adenomas (p = 0.035) and cancers (p = 0.001). Immunohistochemical results showed caspase-8 up-regulation in adenomas (p = 0.014), and caspase-10 down-regulation in adenomas (p = 0.034) and cancers (p < 0.001) compared with normal mucosa samples. Cancers with poor differentiation had lower caspase-10 mRNA and protein levels than those with better differentiation (p = 0.041 and p = 0.046, respectively). The protein expression of caspase-8 and -10 was in accordance with the mRNA expression (p = 0.043 and p = 0.018, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Caspase-8 expression was up-regulated in rectal adenomas. Caspase-10 expression was down-regulated in both rectal adenomas and cancers, and was further related to differentiation. Caspase-8 and -10 may be involved in the pathogenesis of rectal cancer.
Xu
Bing
B
Department of General Surgery, Institute of Digestive Surgery and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zhou
Zong-Guang
ZG
Li
Yuan
Y
Wang
Ling
L
Yang
Lie
L
Zhou
Bin
B
Liu
Hai-Yi
HY
Song
Jun-Min
JM
Zeng
Yu-Jian
YJ
Wang
Rong
R
Shen
Xiao-Gang
XG
Sun
Xiao-Feng
XF
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053455:Caspase 10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C505530:CASP8 protein, human; D053455:Caspase 10; D053181:Caspase 8; C506438:CASP10 protein, human