[Expression of Runx3 and C-myc in human colorectal cancer]

To investigate Runx3 and C-myc expressions in colorectal cancer and their relationship with the clinicopathological parameters.

Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect Runx3 and C-myc mRNA expressions in 38 colorectal cancer tissues and matched adjacent tissues, and Runx3 and C-myc expressions was detected by Western blotting in 63 pairs of colorectal cancer and adjacent tissues. The results were stratified according to the clinicopathological characteristics to examine the relationship of Runx3 and C-myc expressions with the clinicopathological factors in the patients.

Runx3 expression was down-regulated and C-myc expression up-regulated at both mRNA and protein levels in colorectal cancer tissues compared with the normal tissues, and their protein expressions exhibited an inverse correlation (r=-0.398, P=0.001). Runx3 and C-myc expressions differed significantly between tumors with different Dukes stages, depths of tumor invasion, lymph node statuses, or histological differentiation (P<0.05); Runx3 down-regulation and C-myc up-regulation were more obvious in tumors in advanced Dukes stage and in poorly differentiated tumors.

Abnormal expressions in Runx3 and C-myc may contribute to the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer and are closed correlated with the patient's clinicopathological parameters.