Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
A Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Sporadic Colorectal Cancer
Published on: July 6, 2017
Sex chromosome alterations associate with tumor progression in sporadic colorectal carcinomas
Lorena Bottarelli1, Cinzia Azzoni, Francesca Necchi
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, Parma University, Parma, Italy.
Purpose:
The X and Y chromosomes have been associated with malignancy in different types of human tumors. This study attempts to determine the involvement of X chromosome and pseudoautosomal regions (PAR) in sporadic colorectal carcinogenesis.
Experimental Design:
An allelotyping of X chromosome in 20 premalignant and 22 malignant sporadic colorectal tumors (CRC) from female patients and an analysis of losses [loss of heterozygosity (LOH)] on PARs from 44 CRCs and 12 adenomas of male patients were carried out. In male tumors, a fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was done to identify which sex chromosome was possibly lost.
Results:
The LOH frequency in female CRCs was 46% with higher incidence in patients with tumor recurrence than in those who were disease-free (P < 0.01) and with a significant difference from adenomas (11%; P < 0.0001). The LOH rate of PARs in male CRCs was 37% with a frequency significantly higher in patients with recurrence (P < 0.03). These results were maintained also when data from PARs of all 66 male and female patients were cumulated (P < 0.05). LOH in PARs was significantly correlated with LOH at 5q (P < 0.01) and 18q (P < 0.01), early and late events, respectively, in colorectal carcinogenesis. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in male patients with extensive PAR LOH revealed a preferential loss of the Y chromosome.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest a role for sex chromosome deletions in the malignant progression of sporadic CRCs and support the presence in the PARs of putative tumor suppressor genes involved in the progression of human sporadic CRCs.
Related Concept Videos
02:07Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
02:07Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
01:12Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
01:12Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
02:21Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
02:21Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell