Distinct Secreted Frizzled Receptor Protein 1 Staining Pattern in Patients With Hyperplastic Polyposis Coli Syndrome

Abstract Context.—Patients with hyperplastic polyposis coli syndrome are thought to harbor precursor lesions of a proposed hyperplasia-carcinoma pathway in colorectal cancer, but morphologic recognition of such lesions remains difficult. Hypermethylation of the secreted Frizzled receptor protein 1 gene on chromosome 8p12 is one of the earliest molecular alterations in colorectal carcinogenesis, potentially disrupting the Wnt signaling cascade of cellular growth control. Objective.—To determine if hyperplastic polyps from patients with hyperplastic polyposis coli syndrome show a distinct immunohistochemical expression pattern for mismatch repair proteins and secreted Frizzled receptor protein 1 compared to their sporadic counterparts. Design.—Immunohistochemical studies (secreted Frizzled receptor protein 1, 3 mismatch repair proteins, and p53) were performed on 23 hyperplastic polyps, 6 synchronous colon cancers, and normal colonic mucosa from 6 patients with hyperplastic polyposis coli syndrome and were ...