Association of early phase of colorectal carcinogenesis with STAT3 activation and its relevance in apoptosis regulation

• Published in: Experimental and molecular pathology Vol. 87; no. 1; pp. 36 - 41
• Main Authors: Baral, Rathindranath, Bose, Anamika, Ray, Chinmoyee, Paul, Sonali, Pal, Smarajit, Haque, Enamul, Mishra, Bhagawan, Pal, Debolina, Nagpal, Jatin Kumar, Panda, Chinmay Kumar, Das, Bibhu Ranjan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.08.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - physiology; Bcl2; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoembryonic Antigen - metabolism; Caspase 3; Caspase 3 - metabolism; Colorectal carcinoma; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; Colorectal Neoplasms - physiopathology; CRC cells; Cyclin D1; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - metabolism; Signal Transduction - physiology; STAT3; STAT3 Transcription Factor - genetics; STAT3 Transcription Factor - metabolism; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumors; Young Adult; Colorectal carcinoma; STAT3; Bcl2; Caspase 3; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Cyclin D1; CRC cells; Apoptosis; Rectal disease; Cysteine endopeptidases; Colorectal cancer; Activation; Carcinogenesis; Relevance; Regulation(control); Association; Mononuclear cell; Transcription factor STAT3; Intestinal disease; Protooncogene; Enzyme; Early phase; Malignant tumor; Colonic disease; Peptidases; Anatomic pathology; Blood cell; Cell death; C-Onc gene; Hydrolases; Digestive diseases; Cancer
• ISSN: 0014-4800; 1096-0945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2009.03.002

Expression of STAT3/ pSTAT3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients of Indian origin was studied to assess its significance in early detection and apoptosis regulation. Colorectal tissues with malignant lesions were STAT3/ pSTAT3 positive in 66% of the cases and among these positive cases, well differentiated, moderately differentiated and poorly differentiated cancers were 86%, 60% and 0% respectively. All CRC specimens studied were immunoreactive with anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody. Cells purified from CRC tissues exhibited greater STAT3/ pSTAT3 reactivity than peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy individuals, which served as control. apoptotic index (AI) was comparatively low in tissue specimens with STAT3/ pSTAT3 expression. CRC cells with a comparatively less number of apoptotic cells, expressed a minimum number of Caspase-3 positive cells (4.73%), in comparison to healthy-PBMC (12.63%). CRC cells with high STAT3/ pSTAT3 staining had cells with greater percentage of Bcl2 reactivity (23.05%), but less positivity with Caspase3 antibody (2.05%). Overall data suggests that CRC population was STAT3/ pSTAT3 immunoreactive in a stage specific manner and STAT3 protects cancerous colorectal epithelial cells from apoptosis. Bcl-2, Cyclin D1 and Caspase-3 control the activity of apoptosis regulator, STAT3.