Purpose: This study tested whether there exists a correlation between leptin receptors (LEPR) expression with proliferation and neoangiogenesis in colorectal carcinoma.
Methods: Enrolled were 75 patients with colorectal carcinoma, who underwent surgical tumor resection. After routine histopathological preparation, sections 3-4 μm thick were prepared. Routine H&E and immunohistochemical ABC method with anti-LEPR, anti-Ki67 and anti-CD 105 antibodies were performed.
Results: Pronounced or moderate LEPR expression in colorectal carcinoma was found in 77.3% of the cases. Absence of expression of LEPR correlated with low rate of proliferation in 94.1% of the cases, while high proliferation rate showed 92% of the cases with pronounced LEPR expression. Low grade neoangiogenesis correlated with absence of LEPR expression in 88.2% of the cases. In 92% of the cases with pronounced LEPR expression, high rate of angiogenesis was observed. The LEPR expression correlated significantly (p<0.001) with proliferation index (proIDX) and neoangiogenesis index (mvdIDX). The corresponded correlation coefficients indicated considerable strength of association between variables (r=0.63 and r=0.66).
Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that LEPR expression in colorectal carcinoma significantly corresponded to proliferation index of tumor cells and neoangiogenesis, which could have significant therapeutic and prognostic implications.