Analysis for IL-22/ IL-22BP Axis and Cell Adhesion Molecules in Advanced Colorectal Cancer

The mucosal barrier, regulated by cytokines and cell adhesion molecules, is critical to colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Interleukin (IL)-22 regulates intestinal homeostasis, whereas interleukin-22 binding protein (IL-22BP) functions as its soluble decoy receptor. We aimed to elucidate the clinical significance of IL-22BP and its association with cell adhesion molecules in advanced CRC.

We retrospectively analyzed data from 178 patients with stage II and III CRC who underwent curative resection. The protein expression of IL-22, IL-22BP, claudin-1, and β-catenin was evaluated using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. We investigated the associations between these markers and clinicopathological features and survival outcomes.

High IL-22BP expression was significantly associated with claudin-1 expression (p=0.043). Patients with low IL-22BP expression demonstrated shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p=0.015) and overall survival (OS) (p=0.037). Multivariate analysis identified low IL-22BP expression as an independent predictor of poor RFS [hazard ratio (HR)=2.265; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.209-4.242; p=0.011] and OS (HR=2.502; 95%CI=1.174-5.335; p=0.018). In contrast, IL-22 and β-catenin expression was not associated with prognosis.

IL-22BP expression correlates with claudin-1 and serves as an independent prognostic biomarker in patients with advanced CRC. Our findings suggest that the IL-22/IL-22BP axis may modulate tight junction integrity to prevent tumor progression, implicating IL-22BP as a potential therapeutic target.