Expressions of DcR3 and caspase-3 and their significance in colorectal adenocarcinoma and precancerous lesions.

Objective To investigate the relationship between expressions of decoy receptor-3(DcR3) and caspase-3 and clinicopathological parameters in colorectal carcinogenesis.Methods Expressions of DcR3 and caspase-3 were determined by immunohistochemical SP staining in a series of 70 colorectal cancer(CRC),59 colorectal adenoma(CRA,including 22 high-grade colorectal intraepithelial neoplasia and 37 low-grade colorectal intraepithelial neoplasia) and 10 normal colorectal mucosa(NCM).Multiple clinico-pathological factors were analyzed based on their relation to expressions of DcR3 and caspase-3.Results ① Expressive rate of DcR3 in NCM,CRA and CRC was 0(0/10),39.0%(23/59)and 70%(49/70) respectively.However,expressive rate of caspase-3 in the three groups was 100.0%(10/10),33.9%(20/39) and 28.6%(20/50),respectively.② Expressions of DcR3 and caspase-3 in CRC were not associated with sex,age,tumor location,differentiation and histopathological type(P0.05),but expression of DcR3 in CRC with Dukes C/D was significantly lower than that of Dukes A/B(P0.05).③ Expression of caspase-3 in CRA was significantly correlated with differentiation status(P0.05),but there was no significant difference between expressions of DcR3 and caspase-3 and other clinico-pathological features such as sex,age,tumor location,size,number,and morphological characteristics(P0.05).Conclusion ① Both DcR3 and caspase-3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and play an important role in the development of colorectal cancer in Chinese people.② Detecting expressions of DcR3 and caspase-3 may be useful in the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.