To determine the relationship between the mutation of the PTEN gene and genomic instability in human colorectal cancer, we screened the PTEN gene in 32 colorectal cancers (eight cell lines and 24 tissues) displaying microsatellite instability (MSI) and 32 colorectal cancers (six cell lines and 26 tissues) displaying microsatellite stability (MSS).
Although the exact role of germline PTEN mutations in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer remains unclear, we think that Cowden syndrome should be in the differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer certainly in view of the possible prognostic and therapeutic consequences.
To further address the role of the PTEN gene in MI(+)colorectal cancer, in the six patients with mutated PTEN, we analysed the mononucleotide repeats of six other genes: BAX, hMSH3, hMSH6, TGFbRII, IGFIIR and APC.
The authors determined the pattern of distribution of PI3K pathway components (ie, the p85alpha regulatory subunit, p110alpha catalytic subunit, Akt1, Akt2, and the tumor suppressor PTEN) in human colorectal cancer.
Since PTEN-Akt confers drug resistance to different malignancies including colorectal cancer, our observation of normalization of miR-21-PTEN-Akt pathway by CDF suggests that the compound could be a potential therapeutic agent for chemotherapy-resistant colorectal cancer.
A Transition Zone Showing Highly Discontinuous or Alternating Levels of Stem Cell and Proliferation Markers Characterizes the Development of PTEN-Haploinsufficient Colorectal Cancer.
NHERF1/EBP50, an adaptor molecule that interacts with β-catenin, YAP, and PTEN, has been recently implicated in the progression of various human malignancies, including colorectal cancer.
These results suggest that PTEN plays a significant pathogenic role in both HNPCC and sporadic endometrial carcinogenesis, unlike the scenarios for colorectal cancer.
Moreover, the further accumulation of alterations in the MARCKS, BAX, IGFIIR, and PTEN genes seem to be associated with progression from early to advanced colorectal cancer from patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.