UBC9 and PI3K Expression in Colorectal Cancer: Possible Prognostic Role

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality globally.
• The roles of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 9 (UBC9) and Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling in CRC pathogenesis are not fully elucidated.
• Understanding these molecular pathways is crucial for improving CRC patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression levels of UBC9 and PI3K in colorectal cancer tissues.
• To determine the prognostic and predictive significance of UBC9 and PI3K expression in CRC.
• To explore the association between UBC9 and PI3K expression and patient survival and treatment response.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 140 archival CRC samples, 70 normal colonic tissues, and 40 metastatic lymph nodes.
• Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the expression of UBC9 and PI3K.
• Statistical analyses were performed to correlate expression levels with clinicopathological features and survival data.

Main Results:

• UBC9 and PI3K were highly expressed in CRC tumor cells.
• Co-high expression of UBC9 and PI3K was significantly associated with high grade, advanced stage, high lymph node ratio (LNR), lympho-vascular invasion (LVI), low tumor infiltration lymphocytes (TILs), chemo-resistance, and KRAS mutations.
• Patients with co-high expression exhibited the poorest median survival (17 months).
• A significant positive association was observed between UBC9 and PI3K in metastatic lymph nodes.

Conclusions:

• UBC9 and PI3K are significantly associated with poor survival and treatment resistance in colorectal cancer.
• The combined expression of UBC9 and PI3K may play a crucial role in colorectal carcinogenesis.
• Targeting UBC9 and PI3K pathways could represent a potential therapeutic strategy for CRC.