TY - JOUR
T1 - Increased expression of CD133 and reduced dystroglycan expression are strong predictors of poor outcome in colon cancer patients
AU - Coco, Claudio
AU - Zannoni, Gian Franco
AU - Caredda, Emanuele
AU - Sioletic, Stefano
AU - Boninsegna, Alma
AU - Migaldi, Mario
AU - Rizzo, Gianluca
AU - Bonetti, Luca Reggiani
AU - Genovese, Giannicola
AU - Stigliano, Egidio
AU - Cittadini, Achille
AU - Sgambato, Alessandro
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by grants from Università Cattolica (to A.S.).
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Background: Expression levels of CD133, a cancer stem cell marker, and of the α-subunit of the dystroglycan (α-DG) complex, have been previously reported to be altered in colorectal cancers. Methods. Expression levels of CD133 and α-DG were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a series of colon cancers and their prognostic significance was evaluated. Results: Scattered cells positive for CD133 were rarely detected at the bases of the crypts in normal colonic mucosa while in cancer cells the median percentage of positive cells was 5% (range 0-80). A significant correlation was observed with pT parameter and tumor stage but not with tumor grade and N status. Recurrence and death from disease were significantly more frequent in CD133-high expressing tumors and Kaplan-Meier curves showed a significant separation between high vs low expressor groups for both disease-free (p = 0.002) and overall (p = 0.008) survival. Expression of α-DG was reduced in a significant fraction of tumors but low α-DG staining did not correlate with any of the classical clinical-pathological parameters. Recurrence and death from the disease were significantly more frequent in α-DG-low expressing tumors and Kaplan-Meier curves showed a significant separation between high vs low expressor tumors for both disease-free (p = 0.02) and overall (p = 0.02) survival. Increased expression of CD133, but not loss of α-DG, confirmed to be an independent prognostic parameters at a multivariate analysis associated with an increased risk of recurrence (RR = 2.4; p = 0.002) and death (RR = 2.3; p = 0.003). Conclusions: Loss of α-DG and increased CD133 expression are frequent events in human colon cancer and evaluation of CD133 expression could help to identify high-risk colon cancer patients.
AB - Background: Expression levels of CD133, a cancer stem cell marker, and of the α-subunit of the dystroglycan (α-DG) complex, have been previously reported to be altered in colorectal cancers. Methods. Expression levels of CD133 and α-DG were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a series of colon cancers and their prognostic significance was evaluated. Results: Scattered cells positive for CD133 were rarely detected at the bases of the crypts in normal colonic mucosa while in cancer cells the median percentage of positive cells was 5% (range 0-80). A significant correlation was observed with pT parameter and tumor stage but not with tumor grade and N status. Recurrence and death from disease were significantly more frequent in CD133-high expressing tumors and Kaplan-Meier curves showed a significant separation between high vs low expressor groups for both disease-free (p = 0.002) and overall (p = 0.008) survival. Expression of α-DG was reduced in a significant fraction of tumors but low α-DG staining did not correlate with any of the classical clinical-pathological parameters. Recurrence and death from the disease were significantly more frequent in α-DG-low expressing tumors and Kaplan-Meier curves showed a significant separation between high vs low expressor tumors for both disease-free (p = 0.02) and overall (p = 0.02) survival. Increased expression of CD133, but not loss of α-DG, confirmed to be an independent prognostic parameters at a multivariate analysis associated with an increased risk of recurrence (RR = 2.4; p = 0.002) and death (RR = 2.3; p = 0.003). Conclusions: Loss of α-DG and increased CD133 expression are frequent events in human colon cancer and evaluation of CD133 expression could help to identify high-risk colon cancer patients.
KW - CD133
KW - Cancer stem cell
KW - Colon cancer
KW - Dystroglycan
KW - Prognostic marker
KW - Survival analysis
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U2 - 10.1186/1756-9966-31-71
DO - 10.1186/1756-9966-31-71
M3 - Article
C2 - 22964035
AN - SCOPUS:84865973290
SN - 0392-9078
VL - 31
JO - Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research
JF - Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research
IS - 1
M1 - 71
ER -