| Objective:To investigate the expression of Twist, a member of basic helix loop helix transcription family, and its relation with the malignant features in colorectal cancer.Methods:Expression of Twist, E-cadherin, Vimentin, and N-cadherin were detected in10normal colorectal mucosa,25central tissues and25peripheral tissues of colorectal cancer, and9lymphatic metastases with immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results were analyzed with clinical data.Results:The expression of Twist protein and mRNA in central tissues of colorectal cancer was correlated with lymph node metastasis, Dukes stage, and TNM stage (P＜0.05), but not with patients’gender, age, and site of tumor (P>0.05). For the expression of each protein, there was difference among these four kinds of tissues (P<0.05). The expression rates of Twist, Vimentin, and N-cadherin in peripheral tissues and lymphatic metastases of colorectal cancer were significantly higher than these in normal mucosa and the central tissues (P＜0.05). The expression rates of E-cadherin in normal mucosa and central tissues were significantly higher than these in peripheral tissues and lymphatic metastases tissues (P＜0.05). In colorectal cancer and lymphatic metastases, a significant negative correlation was noted between the expression of Twist and E-cardherin (r=-0.263,P<0.05; r=-0.605,P<0.05),while positive correlations of the expressions of Vimentin(r=0.214,P<0.05;r=0.470,P<0.05)and N-cadherin (r=0.381,P<0.05;r=0.581,P<0.05)with Twist. But E-cadherin had a negative correlation with Vimentin(r=-0.562,P<0.05;r=-0.591,P<0.01), and with N-cadherin(r=-0.267,P<0.05;r=-0.617,P<0.01)Conclusion:Twist may take part in the invasion and metastasis of colo rectal cancer by regulating epithelial-mesenchymail transition (EMT). So Twist and EMT may be the biological indexes independent of the TNM staging system to predict the prognosis, invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer. |
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