Tissue microarrays in Chinese human rectal cancer: study of expressions of the tumor-associated genes.
OBJECTIVE
The cellular basis for rectal cancer development is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the expression of p53, cyclinD1, bcl-2, ß-catenin, c-myc, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nm23-H1 and the clinicopathological characteristics of rectal cancer.


METHODS
Expressions of p53, cyclinD1, bcl-2, ß-catenin, c-myc, COX-2 and nm23-H1 proteins were detected by immunohistochemical staining to two tissue microarrays containing tissues accumulated from 54 human rectal cancers and 40 para-cancer mucosa.


RESULTS
Significant differences were demonstrated between the rectal cancers and their benign para-cancer counterparts according to the expressions of p53, cyclinD1, bcl-2, ß-catenin, c-myc, COX-2 and nm23-H1 (p<0.05). Additionally, positive correlations of ß-catenin with cyclinD1 and c-myc (r=0.412, p=0.002; r=0.447, p=0.000) and of p53 with bcl-2 (r=0.332, p=0.001) were found. Cancer tissues with overexpression of ß-catenin or bcl-2 were less likely to differentiate to advanced grade. Expression of cyclinD1 had a correlation with clinical stages (p=0.039). In addition, a negative correlation was found between nm23-H1 expression and the histological grades, distance metastasis and Duke's stages.


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant expression of p53, cyclinD1, bcl-2, ß-catenin, c-myc, COX-2 and nm23-H1 might attribute to the carcinogenesis of human rectal cancer. Furthermore, cyclinD1 and nm23-H1 might be involved in rectal cancer progression. This study recommends the application of tissue microarrays in rectal cancer research for its reliable quick throughput.
Taizhou People's Hospital, Taizhou, China. lms0605@163.com
Mao Song
MS
Lin
Wei Chang
WC
Chen
Jun Xing
JX
Huang
Heng Jun
HJ
Gao
Bao Feng
BF
Zhang
Jing
J
Fang
Qiong
Q
Zhou
Ying
Y
Hu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
C530104:CCND1 protein, human; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; C489427:MYC protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D051176:beta Catenin; D019938:Cyclin D1