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Relationship between cyclooxygenase‐2 expression and K‐ ras gene mutation in colorectal adenomas
Author(s) -
Fujita Mikio,
Fukui Hirokazu,
Morita Katsuo,
Fujii Shigehiko,
Ueda Yoshihiko,
Chiba Tsutomu,
Sakamoto Choitsu,
Kawamata Hitoshi,
Fujimori Takahiro
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1746.2000.2399.x
Subject(s) - adenoma , colorectal adenoma , medicine , colorectal cancer , immunohistochemistry , mutation , gene mutation , cancer research , pathology , tubular adenoma , gastroenterology , gene , cancer , biology , genetics , colonoscopy
Background and Aims: Cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 has a trophic effect on gastrointestinal epithelial cells and is associated with the progression of colorectal adenomas. Mutation of the K‐ ras gene is also associated with the progression of colorectal adenomas and has recently been suggested to play an important role in the induction of COX‐2. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between COX‐2 expression and K‐ ras mutation in colorectal adenomas. Methods: Twenty‐nine colorectal adenomas were obtained from specimens resected by the use of surgery or endoscopic mucosal resection and analyzed clinicopathologically. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze COX‐2 expression in the adenoma specimens. The K‐ ras codon 12 mutations were detected by using the polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Results: An increase of COX‐2‐positive cells in adenoma was observed in 11 (37.9%) lesions, 10 (90.9%) of which had a K‐ ras gene mutation, suggesting a significant correlation between COX‐2 expression and K‐ ras gene mutation in colorectal adenomas. Morphologically, COX‐2‐positive adenomas (13.8 ± 2.6 mm) were significantly larger than COX‐2‐negative ones (5.8 ± 0.9 mm). In addition, the increase of COX‐2‐positive cells in the lesion was observed more frequently in tubulovillous (63.6%) than in tubular (36.4%) adenoma. Conclusions: Cycloxygenase‐2 expression in colorectal adenoma cells is strongly correlated with K‐ ras gene mutation, suggesting that COX‐2 and mutated K‐ ras are connectively associated with the progression of colorectal adenoma.