Expression and clinical significance of L-plastin in colorectal carcinoma

L: -plastin, an actin-binding protein, is upregulated in many tumours, including colorectal carcinoma. This study evaluated the expression of L: -plastin in plasma and colorectal tumour tissue and analysed the correlation between clinicopathological staging and prognosis.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect L: -plastin in the plasma of 120 colorectal carcinoma patients and 40 control subjects. Immunohistochemistry analyses were also used.

The rate of positive L: -plastin expression was significantly higher in colorectal carcinoma patients than in control subjects, and was significantly higher in tumour tissues than in the tissues surrounding the tumour. L: -Plastin expression also is correlated with tumour grade and size, and lymph node metastasis. However, there was no correlation with the extent of tumour invasion or distant metastasis.

L: -Plastin may be a useful marker for screening colorectal carcinoma and determining the prognosis of patients with colorectal carcinoma, and for genetic therapy and targeted therapy of colorectal carcinoma.