@article{3096310,
    title = "Expression of p53, p21/waf, bcl-2, bax, Rb and Ki67 proteins in colorectal adenocarcinomas",
    author = "Kanavaros, P. and Stefanaki, K. and Valassiadou, K. and Vlachonikolis, J. and Mavromanolakis, M. and Vlychou, M. and Kakolyris, S. and Gorgoulis, V. and Tzardi, M. and Georgoulias, V.",
    journal = "Medical Oncology",
    year = "1999",
    volume = "16",
    number = "1",
    pages = "23-30",
    publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
    issn = "1357-0560, 1559-131X",
    doi = "10.1007/bf02787355",
    keywords = "Ki 67 antigen;  protein Bax;  protein bcl 2;  protein p21;  protein p53;  retinoblastoma protein, adenocarcinoma;  article;  cancer grading;  cancer staging;  carcinogenesis;  clinical article;  colon mucosa;  colorectal carcinoma;  correlation function;  human;  human tissue;  immunohistochemistry;  lymph node metastasis;  mitosis inhibition;  priority journal;  protein expression;  protein localization;  protein phosphorylation;  rectum mucosa",
    abstract = "This study investigated the combined immunoexpression of p53, p21, bcl- 2, bax, Rb and Ki67 proteins in colorectal adenocarcinomas and correlated expression patterns with tumour stage and grade. Paraffin sections from 98 cases of colorectal adenocarcinomas were stained by immunohistochemistry for p53, p21, bcl-2, bax, Rb and MIB-1 (Ki67) proteins. In addition, 12 cases of colorectal adenomas and normal colorectal mucosa were studied in parallel. P53, p21, bcl-2, bax, Rb and Ki67 proteins were detected in at least 5% of tumour cells in 63/98, 72/98, 52/98, 96/98 and 98/98 adenocarcinomas, respectively. Comparative study of the normal-adenoma-carcinoma tissues revealed abrogation of the normal immunotopography in adenomas and adenocarcinomas, and considerable modifications, increase or reduction, of the expression of p53, p21, bcl-2, bax, Rb and Ki67 proteins in adenocarcinomas when compared with normal mucosa and adenomas. Statistically significant correlations were found between low bax expression and Dukes C stage of carcinomas, Ki67 expression and carcinoma grade, and Ki67 and Rb expression. P53, p21, bcl-2 and Rb immunoexpression did not correlate with tumour stage or grade. Our findings show that low bax immunoexpression is frequently related to colorectal adenocarcinomas with lymph node metastases suggesting that low levels of bax expression play a role in late stage colorectal cancer. The correlation between Ki67 and Rb expression, in view of previous data that the hyperphosphorylated inactive Rb protein is frequently increased in colorectal adenocarcinomas, suggests that Rb protein is somewhat ineffective in inhibiting the cell-cycle progression in these malignancies. Furthermore, our findings provide immunohistochemical evidence that the abrogation of the normal immunotopography and the modifications of the expression of p53, p21, bcl-2, bax, Rb and Ki67 proteins reflect important events in colorectal oncogenesis."
}