Association of lysyl oxidase expression with clinicopathological features in colorectal adenocarcinomas

Colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Within the tumor microenvironment, neoplastic cells, along with tumor-promoting fibroblasts, contribute to the progression of CRC. Lysyl oxidase (LOX), an enzyme involved in this process facilitates collagen cross-linking within the extracellular matrix and plays a crucial role in remodeling the tumor microenvironment (TME) and promoting metastasis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This study investigates LOX expression in both tumor cells and the tumor stroma in relation with clinicopathological features in CRC patients.

Immunohistochemical staining of LOX proteins was performed on tissue microarrays from colorectal tumor samples taken from resection specimens. LOX expression was quantified in tumor cells and stroma. The correlation between the expression of LOX and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.

A positive correlation was observed between peritumoral stromal LOX expression and LOX expression in the tumor epithelium. High expression of LOX in tumor cells was significantly associated with poorer progression-free survival (PFS) among patients. Low tumor budding was observed in tumors with low stromal LOX expression.

The current study indicates that LOX may be an important contributor to CRC progression. The findings of this series, in which LOX expression correlated with tumor budding and survival, support a contribution for LOX to EMT and metastasis. Furthermore, LOX expression in both the tumor cell and stromal compartment may add information to improve prognosis in CRC management. These findings, however, have to be validated in further studies, as does also the investigation of LOX as a potential therapeutic target in CRC.