Expression of immunohistochemical markers of progression in pre-cancerous and cancerous human colon: correlation with serum vitamin D levels.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate vitamin D levels in blood, as well as the immunohistological expression of β-catenin, p21 activated kinase (PAK1), p53 and Ki67 in relation to histological type and grading of colonic tumors. RESULTS were compared to the expression in normal and adenomatous colon.


METHODS
We analyzed colorectal specimens from 20 patients with colorectal tumors for expression of β-catenin, PAK1, p53 and Ki67. Associations between the expression of these markers and levels of vitamin D in serum were analyzed.


RESULTS
The average 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25OHD) level in a healthy population was 20.53 ng/ml, while that in patients with colorectal cancer was 5.99 ng/ml. The average vitamin D level in patients with positive nuclear β-catenin was 4.58 ng/ml, which was lower than that of patients with negative nuclear β-catenin expression. Patients with positive nuclear PAK1 also had low vitamin D levels in their blood (4.51 ng/ml). Patients with positive nuclear p53 had significantly lower vitamin D levels (4.18 ng/ml), compared to patients without nuclear p53 expression. In patients with Ki67 expression in at least 50% of cells, the average vitamin D level was 6.27 ng/ml, while in patients with Ki67 staining in fewer than 50% of cells, the average vitamin D levels in serum was double (13.42 ng/ml).
Department of Pathophysiology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo Department of Gastrohepatology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo argjira.juniku@uni-pr.edu.
Argjira
A
Juniku-Shkololli
Department of Pathology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
Suzana
S
Manxhuka-Kerliu
Department of Pathophysiology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
Halil
H
Ahmetaj
Christian Doppler Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Chemoprevention, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Vineeta
V
Khare
Department of Gastrohepatology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
Sadik
S
Zekaj
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000032:analysis; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051176:beta Catenin; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; C515903:PAK1 protein, human; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases
Ki67; PAK1; Vitamin D; malignant and benign colon tumors; p53; β-catenin