title: Lamin A: a putative colonic epithelial stem cell biomarker which identifies colorectal tumours with a more aggressive phenotype.
abstract: Abnormalities in the expression, distribution and structural organization of A-type lamins are most commonly associated with a spectrum of inherited disorders which predominantly affect mesenchymal lineages, collectively known as laminopathies. However, a new role for lamin A has been discovered in the progression of a common epithelial cancer. CRC (colorectal cancer) patients expressing lamin A/C in their tumour tissue were found to have a 2-fold greater risk of CRC-related mortality compared with patients with lamin A/C-negative tumours. Consequently, lamin A/C is a prognostic biomarker in CRC. In vitro studies suggest that lamin A is an upstream regulator of a pathway linking actin dynamics to loss of cell adhesion, leading to enhanced cell motility and consequently increased invasive potential within a tumour. The finding that lamin A is a putative colonic epithelial stem cell biomarker suggests that the poor outcome associated with lamin A/C-positive tumours may be reflective of a more stem-cell-like phenotype. The present review discusses the link between lamin A expression and tumour progression in one of the commonest causes of cancer-related death in the Western world.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Durham University, Durham, UK.
authors.forename: Naomi D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hutchison
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000166:cytology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D034904:Lamin Type A / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D034904:Lamin Type A