Evaluation of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha gene expression in colorectal cancer stages of Iranian patients.
OBJECTIVE
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most prevalent cancer globally. Several factors have roles in cancer establishment. One of the most important factors is hypoxia that induces hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). The HIF-1 alpha overexpressed in hypoxia conditions and plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis features. In this study, we aimed to examine the efficiency of HIF-1 alpha gene expression at mRNA and protein's level for CRC diagnosing and staging.


METHODS
In this study, the cases included into 75 cancer specimens in different stages (Group 2 = Stage 1, Group 3 = Stage 2, and Group 4 = Stage 3, 4) and ten normal specimens as control (Group 1). Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed for measuring gene expression at RNA and protein's level, respectively. The raw data were analyzed in the SPSS20 software.


RESULTS
HIF-1 alpha gene expression rate (2-ΔΔCT) and ΔCT values were significantly higher increased in Group 4 in compare to control (P < 0.001). Other cancer groups (2 and 3) had greater ΔCT values than control, but it was not statistically significant. Moreover, the rate of HIF-1 alpha gene expression (2-ΔΔCT) was increased with cancer stages. According to the IHC results, there was a positive relationship between CRC stages and HIF-1 alpha protein expression (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
HIF-1 alpha gene expression increased in earlier up to metastasis stages of CRC, but the assessment of HIF-1 alpha gene expression has not important role in the diagnosis of cancer in early stages and classification of carcinoma because the increasing of HIF-1 alpha gene expression is not significant in early cancer stages.
Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Reyhaneh Nassiri
RN
Mansour
Medical Biotechnology Department, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Seyed Ehsan
SE
Enderami
Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abdolreza
A
Ardeshirylajimi
Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Koorosh
K
Fooladsaz
Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition Department, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Mojtaba
M
Fathi
National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran.
Shahla Moahammad
SM
Ganji
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit