title: Structural maintenance of chromosomes 4 is a predictor of survival and a novel therapeutic target in colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Structural maintenance of chromosomes 4 (SMC-4) is a chromosomal ATPase which plays an important role in regulate chromosome assembly and segregation. However, the role of SMC-4 in the incidence of malignancies, especially colorectal cancer is still poorly understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  We here used quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis to examine SMC-4 mRNA and protein levels in primary colorectal cancer and paired normal colonic mucosa. SMC-4 clinicopathological significance was assessed by immunohistochemical staining in a tissue microarray (TMA) in which 118 cases of primary colorectal cancer were paired with noncancerous tissue. The biological function of SMC-4 knockdown was measured by CCK8 and plate colony formation assays. Fluorescence detection has been used to detect cell cycling and apoptosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SMC-4 expression was significantly higher in colorectal cancer and associated with T stage, N stage, AJCC stage and differentiation. Knockdown of SMC-4 expression significantly suppressed the proliferation of cancer cells and degraded its malignant degree.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our clinical and experimental data suggest that SMC-4 may contribute to the progression of colorectal carcinogenesis. Our study provides a new therapeutic target for colorectal cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medicine, Taishan Medical University, Taian, China E-mail : xuechun_wang@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chuan-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hua-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Zhi-Hai
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xue-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics*; D002877:Chromosomes, Human; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C580922:SMC4 protein, human