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Updated: May 22, 2026
07:53
Quantification of Colonic Stem Cell Mutations
Published on: September 25, 2015
In situ validation of an intestinal stem cell signature in colorectal cancer
Jennifer L Ziskin1, Debra Dunlap, Murat Yaylaoglu
1Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, California, USA.
Gut
|May 29, 2012
Summary
Colorectal cancers often express Lgr5 and Ascl2, suggesting derivation from Lgr5/Ascl2 stem cells. Lgr5 expression in these cancers does not indicate increased aggressiveness.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Oncology
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Intestinal stem cell niches are crucial for colorectal adenoma development.
- Wnt/Tcf, Lgr5, Ascl2, and Bmi1 signaling pathways are implicated in mouse intestinal stem cell niches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relevance of specific intestinal stem cell markers in human colorectal cancer.
- To determine if Lgr5 and Ascl2 are associated with colorectal cancer development and prognosis.
Main Methods:
- Identified 19 putative intestinal stem cell markers.
- Assessed gene associations using in situ hybridization (ISH) in 57 colorectal adenocarcinomas.
- Evaluated the prognostic significance of Lgr5 in 891 colorectal adenocarcinomas.
Main Results:
- Ascl2 and Lgr5 were expressed in 85% and 74% of colorectal cancers, respectively, with a positive correlation.
- Bmi1 expression was weak and observed in only 47% of cancers.
- Lgr5 expression did not correlate with tumor aggressiveness or have prognostic significance.
Conclusions:
- Colorectal cancers frequently exhibit a Lgr5/Ascl2 signature, supporting derivation from Lgr5(+)/Ascl2(+) crypt stem cells.
- Bmi1 does not appear to be a primary marker for the stem cells of origin in these cancers.
- Lgr5 is not a reliable indicator of tumor aggressiveness in colorectal cancer.
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