title: Immunohistochemical expression of SP-NK-1R-EGFR pathway and VDR in colonic inflammation and neoplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the expression of neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (pEGFR), cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), and vitamin D receptor (VDR) in normal, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and colorectal neoplasia tissues from Puerto Ricans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissues from patients with IBD, colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), sporadic dysplasia, and sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as normal controls, were identified at several centers in Puerto Rico. Archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were de-identified and processed by immunohistochemistry for NK-1R, pEGFR, Cox-2, and VDR. Pictures of representative areas of each tissues diagnosis were taken and scored by three observers using a 4-point scale that assessed intensity of staining. Tissues with CAC were further analyzed by photographing representative areas of IBD and the different grades of dysplasia, in addition to the areas of cancer, within each tissue. Differences in the average age between the five patient groups were assessed with one-way analysis of variance and Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons test. The mean scores for normal tissues and tissues with IBD, dysplasia, CRC, and CAC were calculated and statistically compared using one-way analysis of variance and Dunnett's multiple comparisons test. Correlations between protein expression patterns were analyzed with the Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient. Data are presented as mean ± SE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, patients with IBD were younger (34.60 ± 5.81) than normal (63.20 ± 6.13, P < 0.01), sporadic dysplasia (68.80 ± 4.42, P < 0.01), sporadic cancer (74.80 ± 4.91, P < 0.001), and CAC (57.50 ± 5.11, P < 0.05) patients. NK-1R in cancer tissue (sporadic CRC, 1.73 ± 0.34; CAC, 1.57 ± 0.53) and sporadic dysplasia (2.00 ± 0.45) were higher than in normal tissues (0.73 ± 0.19). pEGFR was significantly increased in sporadic CRC (1.53 ± 0.43) and CAC (2.25 ± 0.47) when compared to normal tissue (0.07 ± 0.25, P < 0.05, P < 0.001, respectively). Cox-2 was significantly increased in sporadic colorectal cancer (2.20 ± 0.23 vs 0.80 ± 0.37 for normal tissues, P < 0.05). In comparison to normal (2.80 ± 0.13) and CAC (2.50 ± 0.33) tissues, VDR was significantly decreased in sporadic dysplasia (0.00 ± 0.00, P < 0.001 vs normal, P < 0.001 vs CAC) and sporadic CRC (0.47 ± 0.23, P < 0.001 vs normal, P < 0.001 vs CAC). VDR levels negatively correlated with NK-1R (r = -0.48) and pEGFR (r = -0.56) in normal, IBD, sporadic dysplasia and sporadic CRC tissue, but not in CAC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunohistochemical NK-1R and pEGFR positivity with VDR negativity can be used to identify areas of sporadic colorectal neoplasia. VDR immunoreactivity can distinguish CAC from sporadic cancer.
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Raymond A
authors: RA
authors: Isidro
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Myrella L
authors: ML
authors: Cruz
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Angel A
authors: AA
authors: Isidro
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Baez
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Axel
authors: A
authors: Arroyo
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: William A
authors: WA
authors: González-Marqués
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: González-Keelan
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Esther A
authors: EA
authors: Torres
authors: Raymond A Isidro, Myrella L Cruz, Angel A Isidro, Caroline B Appleyard, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States.
authors: Caroline B
authors: CB
authors: Appleyard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000032:analysis*; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; C579457:VDR protein, human; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors
keywords: Colitis; Colon cancer; Dysplasia; Neurokinin; Vitamin D