[Expression of CD44v mRNA and its clinical significance in colorectal carcinoma]

In order to study the correlation of the CD44v gene abnormal expression and splicing with the clinicopathologic features, the expression of CD44v mRNA from normal colorectal mucosa, adenomatous polypi (precancerous disease) and colorectal carcinoma was studied by RT-PCR and cDNA hybridization. The results showed that CD44v mRNA was expressed in 65 of 67 (97%) primary cancers, in 20 of 20 metastatic tumors (100%) and in 5 of 7 (71.4%) precancerous diseases, but was not expressed in all 15 normal colon mucosa specimens. Abnormally spliced, high molecular weight CD44v could be detected in 10 of 20 (50%) primary cancers and in 18 of 20 (90%) metastatic cancers. In 10 patients with high molecular weight CD44v, metastases were found in 8, while metastases were found in only 2 of 10 patients with low expression of CD44v mRNA in the primary cancers. The results suggest that the expression of CD44v is very common in colorectal carcinoma. CD44v mRNA might be an early marker of colorectal carcinoma and its high expression is suggestive of tumor metastasis.