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The putative tumor suppressor Cdx2 is over‐expressed in human colonic adenocarcinomas
Author(s) -
Witek M.,
Park J.,
Walters R.,
Neilsen K.,
Schulz S.,
Palazzo J.,
Waldman S. A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.186
Subject(s) - cdx2 , colorectal cancer , immunohistochemistry , cancer research , epithelium , rectum , intestinal epithelium , biology , transcription factor , reverse transcriptase , pathology , medicine , cancer , gene , polymerase chain reaction , homeobox , genetics
Cdx2, an intestine‐specific transcription factor, regulates genes that define the differentiated phenotype of enterocytes. Loss of Cdx2 has been suggested to underlie the progression of carcinomas in the colon and rectum. Here, expression of Cdx2 determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RNA) and immunohistochemistry (protein), in primary and metastatic colorectal tumors was compared to that in normal segments of the colonic epithelium. Surprisingly, Cdx2 was over‐expressed by tumors, compared to normal mucosa in colon. Furthermore, Cdx2 was detected in lymph nodes containing metastatic cancer cells but not in those free of tumor. Thus, loss of Cdx2 expression does not contribute to mechanisms underlying neoplastic transformation of the colonic epithelium. Of clinical significance, Cdx2 is a molecular marker with utility for managing patients with colorectal malignancies. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75 , P49–P49; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.186