Overexpression of Wnt-2 in colorectal cancers.

Abstract

UNLABELLED:

The binding of the Wnt ligand to its receptor Frizzled, activates the Wnt canonical signaling pathway in carcinogenesis as well as many cellular processes, including cellular proliferation and differentiation. Wnt-2, one of 19 members of the <em>Wnt</em> gene family, is frequently overexpressed in malignant tissues. Here, in order to investigate the role of Wnt-2 in colorectal carcinogenesis, we examined the expression of the Wnt-2 protein in 120 colorectal cancers by immunohistochemistry. Wnt-2 protein was expressed in the cell membrane and cytoplasm and up-regulated in 74 (61.7%) of 120 colorectal cancers. Statistically, overexpression of Wnt-2 protein was not associated with the clinical and pathological parameters studied, including tumor location, tumor size, clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, and 5-year survival (<em>P > </em>0.05). These results indicate that up-regulation of the Wnt-2 protein might play a role in the development of colorectal cancers, as an early event of carcinogenesis.

KEYWORDS:

Wnt-2 protein, expression, immunohistochemistry, tissue microarray, colon cancer.

• Authors: J K Park, J H Song, T C He, S W Nam, J Y Lee, W S Park
• Journal: Neoplasma (Neoplasma) Vol. 56 Issue 2 Pg. 119-23 ( 2009) ISSN: 0028-2685 [Print] Slovakia
• PMID: 19239325 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Wnt2 Protein

Topics

• Colorectal Neoplasms (chemistry, mortality, pathology)
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Survival Rate
• Wnt2 Protein (analysis, physiology)