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c-Myb and Bcl-x Overexpression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer

2001; Elsevier BV; Volume: 158; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0002-9440(10)64080-1

1525-2191

Annamaria Biroccio, Barbara Benassi, Igea D’Agnano, Carmen D’Angelo, Simonetta Buglioni, Marcella Mottolese, Andrea Ricciotti, Gennaro Citro, Maurizio Cosimelli, Robert G. Ramsay, Bruno Calabretta, Gabriella Zupi,

Cell Adhesion Molecules Research

The aim of this study was twofold: to assess the relationship between c-Myb and Bcl-x expression and to evaluate the prognostic significance of their expression in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients. Analysis of tumors from 91 CRC patients for expression of c-Myb and Bcl-x revealed a significant relationship between these two proteins. Kaplan-Meier's analysis showed an increased risk of relapse and death in patients whose tumor specimens displayed high c-Myb levels and Bcl-x positivity. Similar results were also observed excluding Dukes' D patients. Molecular analysis using three c-Myb-overexpressing LoVo clones indicated that c-Myb overexpression was accompanied by up-regulation of Bcl-x(L) protein and mRNA. Tumors originating from these clones injected in nude mice were significantly larger than those formed in mice injected with parental or vector-transfected LoVo cells. Moreover, tumors derived from parental and control vector-transfected but not from c-Myb-overexpressing LoVo cells showed high frequency of apoptotic cells. These results provide direct evidence of an association between c-Myb and Bcl-x expression and suggest that expression of both molecules might be a useful prognostic marker in CRC.