Expression of Hedgehog signaling pathway members in colon cancer and their clinical significances

Objective:To study the aberrant activation of Hedgehog signaling pathway in colon cancer and its clinical significances.Methods: Sixty-six colon cancer and 20 paracancerous tissue samples(Mar.2009 to Jun.2010,Xinhua Hospital,Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine) were included in the study.Expression of the Hedgehog signaling pathway members,SHH,PTCH1,Gli1 and SuFu,in colon cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry,and their relationship with clinicopathologic characteristics of colon cancer was examined.Results: In colon cancer tissues,SHH and PTCH1 were highly expressed,while PTCH1 and SuFu were weakly expressed,with their expression rates being 64%,36%,72%,and 20%,respectively.In paracancerous tissues SHH and PTCH1 were weakly expressed,and Gli1 and SuFu were not expressed.PTCH1 and Gli1 exression were related to infiltration depth of colon cancer(P=0.023,P=0.040),and showed no relationship with age,gender,pathology.SHH and SuFu showed no relationship with age,gender,pathology,infiltration depth,etc.Conclusion: Hedgehog pathway members are highly expressed in colon cancer,which may be involved in oncogenesis and development of colon cancer.