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Expression patterns of endothelin‐1 and its receptors in colorectal cancer
Author(s) -
Liakou Paraskevi,
Tepetes Kostantinos,
Germenis Anastasios,
Leventaki Vasiliki,
Atsaves Vassilis,
Patsouris Efstratios,
Roidis Nikolaos,
Hatzitheophilou Konstantinos,
Rassidakis George Z.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.23017
Subject(s) - colorectal cancer , medicine , immunohistochemistry , carcinogenesis , western blot , receptor , endothelin receptor , cancer , pathology , endothelin 1 , cancer research , oncology , biology , biochemistry , gene
Abstract Background and Objectives Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1), a potent vasoconstricting peptide, plays an important role in carcinogenesis. Previous in vitro studies have shown that colorectal cancer cells produce ET‐1. Methods ET‐1 and its receptors ET‐A (ET A R) and ET‐B (ET B R) were analyzed in colorectal cancer cell lines and tumors by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Also, ET‐1 levels were measured by ELISA in blood samples collected before and after tumor resection. Results ET‐1 was immunohistochemically expressed by tumor cells at a variable level in 39 cases tested. The adjacent normal mucosa was negative for ET‐1 expression. Strong ET A R expression observed in the deeper infiltrating areas at the periphery of neoplastic tissue correlated significantly with tumor stage. ET B R levels were very low or undetectable. Western blot analysis in paired (normal, tumor) fresh‐frozen samples of colorectal cancers and in four colon carcinoma cell lines confirmed these findings. In addition, lower levels of ET‐1 in the peripheral circulation after the tumor resection were found by ELISA as compared to those observed before surgery. Conclusions ET‐1 and ET A R, but not ET B R, are expressed at a higher level in primary and cultured colon carcinoma cells as compared to normal colon mucosa cells. Further functional studies are needed to explore the role of ET‐1/ET A R axis in colon carcinogenesis. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 105:643–649. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.