Autophagy-related gene expression in colorectal cancer patients

J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2017 Oct-Dec;31(4):923-927.

Abstract

There is evidence that autophagy can play a dual role in tumor cells – as a tumor suppressor, and a process involved in tumor cell survival. The aim of this work was to assess the expression of the genes engaged in the autophagy process in biopsies taken from the colon, confirmed as adenocarcinoma, and normal tissue and to relate them to the clinical stage of the tumor. A total of 20 pairs of surgically removed tumors and healthy (marginal) tissue samples from colorectal cancer patients at clinical stages (CS) I-IV were analyzed. Gene expression profile analysis was performed using HG-U133A microarrays. Differentially expressed genes were identified, using the PL-Grid Infrastructure. Only for CSI, there were two specific genes: FOXO1 and BNIP1; further in CSII – LAMP2, MET and BCL2L, in CSIII – HIF1A and 2 ID mRNAs for HGF and 18 genes were specific for CSIV in comparison to controls. PINK1 is the only gene that differentiates all transcriptome groups from controls. Furthermore, examination of the expression of genes associated with the autophagy process may allow for better knowledge and understanding of the processes occurring during the development of colon cancer. The presented genes may be used as prognostic markers of clinical stages of colorectal cancer, contributing to the development of new lines of therapy focused on reducing metastasis of the primary tumor.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics*
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Autophagy / genetics*
  • Colon / metabolism*
  • Colon / pathology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Female
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1 / genetics
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / genetics
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / metabolism
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / genetics
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / metabolism
  • Transcriptome*
  • bcl-X Protein / genetics
  • bcl-X Protein / metabolism

Substances

  • BCL2L1 protein, human
  • BNIP1 protein, human
  • FOXO1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • HIF1A protein, human
  • Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit
  • LAMP2 protein, human
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • bcl-X Protein
  • Protein Kinases
  • MET protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • PTEN-induced putative kinase