Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Jan 21, 2011; 17(3): 329-333
Published online Jan 21, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i3.329
Low red blood cell levels of deglycating enzymes in colorectal cancer patients
Maria Notarnicola, Maria Gabriella Caruso, Valeria Tutino, Vito Guerra, Giovanni Misciagna
Maria Notarnicola, Maria Gabriella Caruso, Valeria Tutino, Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, 70013 Castellana G, Bari, Italy
Vito Guerra, Giovanni Misciagna, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, 70013 Castellana G, Bari, Italy
Author contributions: Notarnicola M and Caruso MG contributed equally to this work; Caruso MG and Misciagna G designed the research; Notarnicola M and Tutino V performed the research; Guerra V analyzed the data; Notarnicola M and Caruso MG wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Giovanni Misciagna, MD, PhD, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, IRCCS “S. de Bellis”, Via Turi, 27, 70013 Castellana G, Bari, Italy. gmisciag@libero.it
Telephone: +39-80-4994650 Fax: +39-80-4994313
Received: June 28, 2010
Revised: July 28, 2010
Accepted: August 5, 2010
Published online: January 21, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To investigate Glyoxalase I and fructosamine-3-kinase (FN3K) activity in red blood cells from patients with colorectal adenomas and cancer.

METHODS: Thirty three consecutive subjects with one or more histologically confirmed colorectal adenomatous polyps, 16 colorectal cancer patients and a group of 11 control subjects with normal colonoscopy were included in the study. Glyoxalase I and FN3K activities were measured in red blood cells using a spectrophotometric and radiometric assay, respectively.

RESULTS: A significant reduction in both Glyoxalase I and FN3K activity was detected in patients with tumors compared to patients with adenomas and the controls. Erythrocyte Glyoxalase I activity in colorectal cancer was approximately 6 times lower than that detected in patients with adenoma (0.022 ± 0.01 mmol/min per milliliter vs 0.128 ± 0.19 mmol/min per milliliter of red blood cells, P = 0.003, Tukey’s test). FN3K activity in red blood cells from patients with colon cancer was approximately 2 times lower than that detected in adenoma patients (19.55 ± 6.4 pmol/min per milliliter vs 38.6 ± 31.7 pmol/min per milliliter of red blood cells, P = 0.04, Tukey’s test).

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that deglycating enzymes may be involved in the malignant transformation of colon mucosa.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Enzymatic activity; Fructosamine-3-kinase; Glycation; Glyoxalase I