Correlation between protein kinase C activity and histopathological criteria in human colorectal adenoma

We examined protein kinase C (PKC) activity in the cytosolic and particulate fractions of homogenates obtained from 25 colorectal adenomas and adjacent normal mucosa in patients with colorectal carcinoma. The total PKC activity of colorectal adenomas was significantly reduced compared with that of normal mucosa in all cases (122 +/- 45.8 vs 174 +/- 50.5 pmol min-1 mg-1) (means +/- s.d.) (P less than 0.001). The particulate fraction PKC activity of adenomas was also significantly lower than in normal mucosa (71.4 +/- 31.3 vs 115 +/- 39.6 pmol min-1 mg-1) (P less than 0.001). Adenomas were classified by size, histological type and degree of dysplasia. The average particulate PKC activity ratio (adenoma/normal mucosa) of tubulovillous adenomas or those with severe dysplasia was significantly reduced compared with that of tubular adenomas or tumours with mild and moderate dysplasia (both P less than 0.001), while there were no significant differences in the cytosolic PKC activity ratio. The particulate PKC activity ratio decreased significantly with increasing adenoma size (P less than 0.001), while the cytosolic ratio again showed no difference. These findings suggested that the particulate PKC activity ratio had a possible correlation with the malignant potential of colorectal adenomas and that this ratio may be a useful biological indicator of colorectal carcinogenesis.