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TWIST1 Overexpression is Associated with Nodal Invasion and Male Sex in Primary Colorectal Cancer

  • Gastrointestinal Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

TWIST1 is a basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor that has been involved in tumor progression and metastasis in several cancer types, although no evidence has been provided yet on its implication in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Methods

We examined the expression pattern of TWIST1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in 54 colorectal cancer biopsies compared with each respective adjacent normal mucosa by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methodology.

Results

TWIST1 mRNA was found significantly overexpressed in colorectal cancer samples compared to nontumorous colon mucosa (P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that TWIST1 mRNA levels are significantly increased in patients with nodal invasion and, interestingly, a significant correlation with patient sex was also found.

Conclusions

Evidence for upregulation of TWIST1 mRNA in colorectal cancer is provided, suggesting its implication in the onset of malignant progression of this disease. In addition, significant higher levels of TWIST1 mRNA were found in men than in women, suggesting a possible transcriptional regulation of TWIST1 by sexual hormones. The use of TWIST1 as a new prognostic marker of advanced malignancy, and as a potential therapeutic target in colorectal cancer, is proposed.

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Acknowledgements

This work has been supported by MEyC (SAF2004-0577 and SAF2005-06195-C02-01), EU grant (LSHG-CT-2006-037278), Ministerio de Sanidad (RD06/0020/0016), Fundación Mutua Madrileña, and the PRICYT Program from Comunidad de Madrid (S-BIO/0280/2006) to JCL. Fátima Valdés-Mora is the recipient of fellowship AP-2004-4640 from MEyC. David Gallego-Ortega is the recipient of fellowship FPI-2004 from CAM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, C/ Darwin, 3. Campus Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Fátima Valdés-Mora (MSc), Teresa Gómez del Pulgar (PhD), Ana Ramírez de Molina (PhD), Rosa Pérez-Palacios (MSc), David Gallego-Ortega (PhD) & Juan Carlos Lacal (PhD)

  2. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Translational Oncology Unit CSIC-UAM-La Paz, Madrid, Spain

    Fátima Valdés-Mora (MSc), Teresa Gómez del Pulgar (PhD), Paloma Cejas (PhD), Ana Ramírez de Molina (PhD), Rosa Pérez-Palacios (MSc), David Gallego-Ortega (PhD), Miguel Angel García-Cabezas (MD, PhD), Enrique Casado (MD), Manuel Nistal (MD, PhD), Manuel González-Barón (MD, PhD) & Juan Carlos Lacal (PhD)

  3. Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

    Eva Bandrés (PhD) & Jesús García-Foncillas (MD, PhD)

  4. Department of Medical Oncology, Infanta Sofía Hospital, Madrid, Spain

    Paloma Cejas (PhD) & Enrique Casado (MD)

  5. Department of Medical Oncology, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain

    Miguel Angel García-Cabezas (MD, PhD) & Manuel González-Barón (MD, PhD)

  6. Department of Pathology, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Larrauri (MD) & Manuel Nistal (MD, PhD)

Authors
  1. Fátima Valdés-Mora
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  2. Teresa Gómez del Pulgar
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  3. Eva Bandrés
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  4. Paloma Cejas
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  5. Ana Ramírez de Molina
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  6. Rosa Pérez-Palacios
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  7. David Gallego-Ortega
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  8. Miguel Angel García-Cabezas
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  9. Enrique Casado
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  10. Javier Larrauri
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  11. Manuel Nistal
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  12. Manuel González-Barón
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  13. Jesús García-Foncillas
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  14. Juan Carlos Lacal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juan Carlos Lacal.

Additional information

Fátima Valdés-Mora and Teresa Gómez del Pulgar have equally contributed to this article.

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Valdés-Mora, F., Gómez del Pulgar, T., Bandrés, E. et al. TWIST1 Overexpression is Associated with Nodal Invasion and Male Sex in Primary Colorectal Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 16, 78–87 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-008-0166-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-008-0166-x

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