The expression of Beta-Catenin and Sox2 in adenocarcinoma and adenomatous polyps of the colon and their association with clinicopathological parameters

Neslihan Güney,Enver Üçbi̇lek,Didar Gürsoy,İclal Gürses,Tahsin Çolak,Ebru Seri̇nsöz Li̇nke

doi:10.17944/mkutfd.962373

Abstract

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of β-catenin and Sox-2 in adenomatous polyps and adenocarcinoma of colon and also to evaluate the effects of these markers in adenoma-carcinoma sequence and their association with clinicopathological parameters. Methods: Fifty-six tubular adenomas with low grade dysplasia (TALGD), 53 tubular adenomas with high grade dysplasia (TAHGD), 44 tubulovillous adenomas (TVA), 29 villous adenomas (VA) and 60 adenocarcinomas were included in the study. The nuclear staining of Sox2 was evaluated as well as both nuclear and cytoplasmic stainings of β-catenin. A semiquantitative scoring was performed. The results were compared between the groups and the relationship of the results with clinicopathological parameters was evaluated. Results: Nuclear and cytoplasmic β-catenin expressions of the adenocarcinomas were higher than polyps. The expressions in the VA and TVA polyp groups were higher than the expressions in TAHGD and TALGD, respectively. Membranous β-catenin expression in the adenocarcinoma was higher than the polyps except VA. The evaluation between polyp groups with respect to membranous β-catenin staining revealed a statistically significantly difference in favor of VA compared with TVA, TAHGD and TALGD; in favor of TAHGD compared with TVA, in favor of TVA compared with TALGD while it was found statistically significantly higher in TAHGD than TALGD.  Conclusion: The results regarding β-catenin expression of the polyp groups were consistent with the literature. There was a positive correlation between β-catenin expression (nuclear and cytoplasmic) and malignancy. High Sox2 expressions were found correlated with malignancy potential. Large sampling size investigations to be supported by further molecular studies are needed to clarify the effect of Sox2 expression in the sequence of adenoma-carcinoma comprehensively.

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