Increase of α-SMA(+) and CK (+) cells as an early sign of epithelial-mesenchymal transition during colorectal carcinogenesis.

摘要

Our aim was to examine cell transition events by detecting the frequency of intrapithelial α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)(+)/cytokeratin (CK)(+) cells during colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence, in relation to E-cadherin expression. Our further aim was to determine the proliferative activity of intraepithelial α-SMA(+) cells. Histologically healthy, adenoma, and colorectal cancer (CRC) biopsy samples were taken during routine colonoscopy and were included into tissue microarrays (TMAs). Slides immunostained for Ki-67, α-SMA, E-cadherin and pan-cytokeratin were digitalized and analyzed by using a digital microscope software. The proportion of α-SMA(+)/CK(+) cells was significantly higher in CRC samples (3.34?±?1.01%) compared to healthy (1.94?±?0.69%) or adenoma (1.62?±?0.78%) samples (p?