Survivin: a potential prognostic marker and chemoradiotherapeutic target for colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to explore the expression of survivin gene in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its possibility as a molecular target for CRC chemoradiotherapy.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of survivin in 68 CRC specimens. The correlations between survivin expression and clinicopathological factors and prognosis were evaluated. RNA interference was employed to downregulate survivin expression. The effects of survivin downregulation on chemoradiotherapy of CRC cells were evaluated.


RESULTS
The staining of survivin protein was strongly positive in the cytoplasm of CRC cells. Its expression was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation, Duke's stage, lymph node metastasis. Moreover, the elevated survivin expression was an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of CRC patients. Survivin downregulation could also enhance chemosensitivity or radiosensitivity of colorectal cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Survivin might be an independent prognostic factor and a potential target for the chemoradiotherapy of CRC patients.
Xiaoyuan
C
C
Department of Oncology, Nanjing General Hospital of PLA, 210002, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. xiaoyuanchu55@yahoo.com.cn
Longbang
C
C
Jinghua
W
W
Xiaoxiang
G
G
Huaicheng
G
G
Qun
Z
Z
Haizhu
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011379:Prognosis; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077022:Survivin; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000077022:Survivin; D053148:Caspase 3