Clinical significance of the expression of connexin26 in colorectal cancer

Abstract

BackgroundConnexin26 (Cx26) is one of the connexins (Cxs) family members which form gap junction channels. Cx26 is considered to be a tumor suppressor gene. However, recent studies revealed that over expression of Cx26 is associated with a poor prognosis in several human cancers. This study investigated the correlation between Cx26 expression and the clinicopathological features and P53 expression in colorectal cancer.MethodsOne hundred and fifty-three patients who underwent a curative resection were studied. Tissue samples were investigated by immunohistochemical staining using antibodies for Cx26 and P53. Moreover, apoptotic cells were detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining.ResultsCx26 expression was found in 83 cases (54.2%) and P53 expression in 71 cases (46.4%). A correlation was observed between the Cx26 expression and recurrence, histology, and p53 expression (P < 0.05). Cx26 positive tumors had significantly longer survival than Cx26 negative tumors (P < 0.05). A multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that Cx26 expression was an independent prognostic factor (P < 0.05). However, no significant correlation was observed between Cx26 and AI.ConclusionThis study suggests that Cx26 expression is an independent prognostic factor in patients that undergo a curative resection of colorectal cancer.

Gap junctions and cancer: communicating for 50 years

“…Similarly recent studies tracking connexin levels as a cancer prognostic indicator produced a diverse set of outcomes. Over a dozen studies in the last decade correlate high connexin expression with a significantly better prognosis (e.g., Cx43 in prostate 39 , pancreatic 40 , breast 41 , head and neck SCC 42 , non-small-cell lung 43 , and colorectal 44 cancers; and Cx26 in colorectal 45 and intestinal type-gastric 46 cancers). In contrast, more than a dozen studies correlate high connexin expression with a poor prognosis (e.g., Cx43 in oral SCC 47 , esophageal SCC 48 and non-muscle invasive urothelial bladder cancer 49 ; and Cx26 in breast cancer 50,51 , lung SCC 52 , esophageal SCC 53 , colorectal cancer 37 and papillary and follicular thyroid cancer 54 ).…”

Correlations of Differentially Expressed Gap Junction Connexins Cx26, Cx30, Cx32, Cx43 and Cx46 with Breast Cancer Progression and Prognosis

“…We previously showed that reduced Cx26 protein levels were linked with improved prognosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy where Cx32 protein detection had no prognostic impact [7]. Other studies came to the opposite conclusion by linking the loss of Cx26 expression to reduced survival in primary gastric and colorectal carcinomas [64], [65]. Therefore, Cx26 and Cx32 may not be stable markers and their prognostic relevance in cancer should be interpreted with particular care by considering tumor type, stage and treatment.…”

Prognostic value of connexin43 expression in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer

“…16 Cx26 was an independent prognostic factor according to their multivariate analysis. 16 Liu et al 17 assessed Cx26 expression in 205 gastric carcinoma cases, and their multivariate regression analysis revealed that positive Cx26 expression was an independent prognostic predictor of intestinal-type gastric carcinoma and indicated favourable prognosis.…”

“…Cx26 had a statistically significant relationship with disease recurrence and histological type. 16 The patients with Cx26-negative tumours had a significantly worse survival than those with positive tumours. 16 Cx26 was an independent prognostic factor according to their multivariate analysis.…”

“…[16][17][18][19] Recently, there were more and more studies that investigate Cxs, especially Cx26, and its prognostic value in different carcinomas. [16][17][18] Nomura et al 16 evaluated 153 patients with colorectal carcinoma. Cx26 had a statistically significant relationship with disease recurrence and histological type.…”