title: [Expression of Wnt5a, APC, β-catenin and their clinical significance in human colorectal adenocarcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the expression of Wnt5a gene mRNA and Wnt5a, APC, β-catenin proteins in human colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) and explore its clinical significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wnt5a mRNA level was measured in 30 patients with CRC and paired non-tumor tissues by real-time PCR. Immunohistochemical staining of Wnt5a, APC, β-catenin was performed in samples of 62 patients with CRC using SP system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relative expression level of Wnt5a mRNA in fresh CRC is 0.1232 ± 0.0140, which is significantly higher than that in adjacent colorectal mucosa (0.0497 ± 0.0074, P = 0.02). A low expression of Wnt5a protein was observed in 38 of 62 CRC. Wnt5a protein expression was closely correlated with the tumor types and the degree of tumor differentiation (P < 0.05). There was no apparent relationship with lymph node metastasis, depth of myometrial invasion and TNM stages (P > 0.05). APC protein was decreased in 38 of 62 CRC. The expression of APC was closely correlated with the tumor types (P < 0.05). There was no apparent relationship with the degree of tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, depth of myometrial invasion and TNM stages (P > 0.05). The expression of β-catenin was observed in cytoplasm and/or cell nuclei in 50 of 62 CRC. The positive rate of β-catenin expression was closely correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, depth of myometrial invasion and TNM stages (P < 0.05). There was no apparent relationship with the tumor types (P > 0.05). The expressions of Wnt5a (r = 0.271, P = 0.027) and APC (r = 0.343, P = 0.004) were correlated with that of β-catenin in CRC, respectively, but there was no correlation between the expressions of Wnt5a and APC protein (r = 0.218, P = 0.078) in the tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wnt5a, APC and β-catenin genes might be involved in the carcinogenesis and development of CRC. It is hypothesized that down-regulation of APC and Wnt5a proteins may be one of causes of ectopic expression of β-catenin in CRC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Jinan Military Region, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Yong-cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: Cui-cui
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geng
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D017491:Genes, APC; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C555337:APC protein, human; D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C085389:WNT5A protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D000071818:Wnt-5a Protein; D051176:beta Catenin