The objective of the study is to investigate the CXCR5 and MMP-13 expression in colorectal cancer and explore its correlation between the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. The expressions of CXCR5 and MMP-13 proteins in 236 paired specimens of colorectal cancer and incisal edge normal tissues as well as 62 samples of colorectal adenoma tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The CXCR5 and MMP-13 positive expression rate in colorectal cancer tissues was 43.6 and 80.5 %, respectively. Both rates were higher than those in the incisal edge healthy intestinal mucosal tissues (4.2 and 13.1 %) and colorectal adenoma tissues (24.2 and 64.5 %), P < 0. 05 in both cases. The expressions of the CXCR5 and MMP-13 proteins were positively related to the lymph node and distal metastasis, tumor stage and relapse, P < 0. 05. The expression of the CXCR5 protein was positively related to MMP-13, P < 0. 05. The median and overall survival in the patients with positive CXCR5 and MMP-13 expression were significantly shorter than those with negative expression: median survival, 20.5 months (CXCR5 +) versus 30.8 months (CXCR5 -), 20.3 months (MMP-13 +) versus 24.6 months; overall survival, 26.5 months (CXCR5 +) versus 47.5 months (CXCR5 -), 22.7 months (MMP-13 +) versus 29.3 months. The expression of CXCR5 and MMP-13 could promote the pathogenesis, development, metastasis, and relapse of colorectal cancer. It could also serve as a valuable indicator for the prediction of metastasis and relapse of colorectal cancer.
Keywords: CXCR5; Colorectal cancer; Matrix metalloproteinase-13; Metastasis; Prognosis.