title: [Numb expression in colon cancer and its significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression pattern of Numb, a membrane associated protein, in colon cancer and its biological significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Routine immunohistochemistry staining was used to detect the expression of Numb in tissue microarray with 60 cases of colon cancer tissue and 20 normal colon tissue. The clinical data was analyzed. The expression of Numb in SW480, SW620 cell lines were evaluated by immunostaining and Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive expression rate of Numb in cytoplasm decreased in poorly differentiated tumor tissue than normal tissue and well and moderately differentiated colon cancer (P < 0.05), and the expression intensity was correlated with the differentiation state of cancer tissue. Westen blot results showed that colon cancer cell line SW480, compared with SW620 has a higher protein expression (P < 0.05). A punctate distribution of Numb in cytoplasm in colon cancer cell under confocal immunofluorescence was observed. A increased expression density in SW480 cell line was noticed when compared with that in SW620 cell line (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Numb may has an important regulation in the process of tumor progression and play a protective role against tumor development.
authors.affiliation: Developmental & Stem Cell Institute, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Xi-Meng
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Hua-Shun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C113026:NUMB protein, human