title: Expression profile of mucin-associated sialyl-Tn antigen in Chinese patients with different colorectal lesions (adenomas, carcinomas).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The sialyl-Tn (sTn) antigen is a mucin-associated carbohydrate antigen expressed by numerous human carcinomas, and is also claimed to be a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. But the associations between sTn and colorectal cancer remain elusive and controversial. Here, we investigated the expression profile of sTn antigen in a series of human colorectal tissue samples including normal colon, colorectal adenomas, and colorectal carcinomas (CRCs), with an aim to analyzing whether sTn plays a role in the progression and development of Chinese patients with CRCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical staining of sTn antigen was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded colonic sections from 4 healthy controls, 44 patients with colorectal adenomas, and 186 patients with primary CRCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No sTn antigen was detected in normal colonic tissues. There were 41 of 44 patients with colorectal adenomas (93.2%), and 141 of 186 patients with CRCs (75.8%) found to express sTn antigen. The patterns of sTn localization were different in adenomas and carcinomas of colonic tissues. Colorectal adenomas showed predominant supranuclear distribution of sTn antigen, while carcinomas revealed apical membrane, mucin droplet and diffuse cytoplasmic localization. Notably, sTn was significantly associated with the degree of differentiation (P = 0.006) and perineural invasion (P = 0.041) of the tumors, but was independent of age, gender, tumor location, depth of penetration, status of lymph nodes, lymphovascular invasion and TNM stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that sTn may play a role in initiating colorectal carcinogenesis and promoting tumor progression. Determination of sTn expression and localization may assist in evaluating malignant status of colorectal lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Medical Research Center, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Cuizhen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Medical Research Center, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100038, China.
authors.forename: Fuquan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Cente, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Medical Research Center, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Guangyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Guosheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000378:metabolism*; D044466:Asian People; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009077:Mucins; C055491:sialosyl-Tn antigen
keywords: colorectal adenoma; colorectal carcinoma; expression pattern; sTn antigen