title: Significance of ELF3 mRNA expression for detection of lymph node metastases of colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lymph node (LN) evaluation is an important factor for the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The purpose of our study was to investigate the effectiveness of E74-like factor 3 (ELF3) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as useful markers to detect LN metastases in CRC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the mRNA expression of ELF3 and CEA in LNs and tissues from 22 patients with CRC and in controls with ulcerative colitis (UC) by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, as well as by hematoxylin-eosin staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ELF3 and CEA expression showed statistically significant differences among four LN groups: LNs from patients with CRC categorized into three Dukes' stages and LNs from patients with UC (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). We found a statistical correlation between the expression levels of both markers in patients with CRC compared with each Dukes' stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ELF3, as a gene marker, may be sufficiently practical to detect LN metastases of CRC, rather than CEA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nakarai
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osawa
authors.forename: Nagahide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikeuchi
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamano
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamoshida
authors.forename: Akimitsu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsutou
authors.forename: Juro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ejiri
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kido
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C105529:ELF3 protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors