Colorectal Cancer
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 7, 2007; 13(37): 4996-5002
Published online Oct 7, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i37.4996
Correlation of IL-8 with induction, progression and metastatic potential of colorectal cancer
Claudia Rubie, Vilma Oliveira Frick, Sandra Pfeil, Mathias Wagner, Otto Kollmar, Berit Kopp, Stefan Gräber, Bettina M Rau, Martin K Schilling
Claudia Rubie, Vilma Oliveira Frick, Sandra Pfeil, Otto Kollmar, Berit Kopp, Bettina M Rau, Martin K Schilling, Department of General, Visceral, Vascular and Paediatric Surgery, University of the Saarland, Homburg 66421, Germany
Mathias Wagner, Institute of Pathology, University of the Saarland, Homburg 66421, Germany
Stefan Gräber, Institute of Medical Biometrics, Epidemiology, and Medical Informatics, University of the Saarland, Homburg 66421, Germany
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Claudia Rubie, PhD, Labor für Allgemein-, Viszeral-, Gefäβ- und Kinderchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Chirurgische Klinik, Gebäude 57, Homburg 66421, Germany. ca.labor@uniklinik-saarland.de
Telephone: +49-68-411623976 Fax: +49-68-411622497
Received: March 22, 2007
Revised: July 16, 2007
Accepted: July 26, 2007
Published online: October 7, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression profile of IL-8 in inflammatory and malignant colorectal diseases to evaluate its potential role in the regulation of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the development of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

METHODS: IL-8 expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (Q-RT-PCR) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in resected specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC, n = 6) colorectal adenomas (CRA, n = 8), different stages of colorectal cancer (n = 48) as well as synchronous and metachronous CRLM along with their corresponding primary colorectal tumors (n = 16).

RESULTS: IL-8 mRNA and protein expression was significantly up-regulated in all pathological colorectal entities investigated compared with the corresponding neighboring tissues. However, in the CRC specimens IL-8 revealed a significantly more pronounced overexpression in relation to the CRA and UC tissues with an average 30-fold IL-8 protein up-regulation in the CRC specimens in comparison to the CRA tissues. Moreover, IL-8 expression revealed a close correlation with tumor grading. Most interestingly, IL-8 up-regulation was most enhanced in synchronous and metachronous CRLM, if compared with the corresponding primary CRC tissues. Herein, an up to 80-fold IL-8 overexpression in individual metachronous metastases compared to normal tumor neighbor tissues was found.

CONCLUSION: Our results strongly suggest an association between IL-8 expression, induction and progression of colorectal carcinoma and the development of colorectal liver metastases.

Keywords: Interleukin-8; Gene expression profiling; RNA and protein expression; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal liver metastases