Distinguishing colorectal adenoma from hyperplastic polyp by WNT2 expression

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Molecular Biology
• Oncology

Background:

• Colorectal adenoma (CRA) is a premalignant lesion frequently co-occurring with hyperplastic polyps (HPP).
• Distinguishing between CRA and HPP is crucial for effective prevention of colorectal cancer.
• Molecular expression profiling offers a potential method for differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate colorectal adenoma (CRA) from hyperplastic polyps (HPP) using molecular expression profiling.
• To identify novel biomarkers for CRA detection and prevention of its malignant transformation.
• To investigate the role of Wnt signaling pathway and extracellular matrix in CRA development.

Main Methods:

• RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between CRA and HPP.
• Functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction using STRING and Cytoscape.
• Validation of hub genes through real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry.
• Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess biomarker specificity.

Main Results:

• Identified 485 significant DEGs, with 133 up-regulated and 352 down-regulated genes.
• Wnt signaling pathway and extracellular matrix (ECM) were found to be up-regulated in CRA.
• WNT2 identified as a highly expressed hub gene in CRA, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.98 for distinguishing CRA from HPP.

Conclusions:

• Wnt signaling pathway and ECM are significantly enriched in colorectal adenoma (CRA).
• WNT2 serves as a promising novel biomarker for differentiating CRA from hyperplastic polyps (HPP).
• This discovery aids in the prevention of CRA and its progression to malignancy.