Role of β1-Integrin in Colorectal Cancer: Case-Control Study.
OBJECTIVE
In the metastatic process, interactions between circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the extracellular matrix or surrounding cells are required. β1-Integrin may mediate these interactions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether β1-integrin is associated with the detection of CTCs in colorectal cancer.


METHODS
We enrolled 30 patients with colorectal cancer (experimental group) and 30 patients with benign diseases (control group). Blood samples were obtained from each group, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA for CTCs marker and β1-integrin mRNA levels were estimated by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and the results were compared between the two groups. In the experimental group, preoperative results were compared with postoperative results for each marker. In addition, we analyzed the correlation between the expressions of β1-integrin and CEA.


RESULTS
CEA mRNA was detected more frequently in colorectal cancer patients than in control patients (P = 0.008). CEA mRNA was significantly reduced after surgery in the colorectal cancer patients (P = 0.032). β1-Integrin mRNA was detected more in colorectal cancer patients than in the patients with benign diseases (P < 0.001). In colorectal cancer patients, expression of β1-integrin mRNA was detected more for advanced-stage cancer than for early-stage cancer (P = 0.033) and was significantly decreased after surgery (P < 0.001). In addition, expression of β1-integrin mRNA was significantly associated with that of CEA mRNA in colorectal cancer patients (P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, β1-integrin is a potential factor for forming a prognosis following surgical resection in colorectal cancer patients. β1-Integrin may be a candidate for use as a marker for early detection of micrometastatic tumor cells and for monitoring the therapeutic response in colorectal cancer patients.
Department of Surgery, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Bo-Young
BY
Oh
Department of Surgery, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kwang Ho
KH
Kim
Department of Surgery, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Soon Sup
SS
Chung
Department of Surgery, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyoung Sook
KS
Hong
Department of Surgery, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Ryung-Ah
RA
Lee
Carcinoembryonic antigen; Circulating tumor cells; Colorectal cancer; β1-Integrin