Background and aims: The extracellular matrix and the interactive signalling between its components are thought to play a pivotal role for tumour development and metastasis formation. An altered matrix composition as potential underlying pathology for the development of colorectal cancer was hypothesized.
Methods: In a retrospective study of patients with colon cancer, the extracellular matrix in tumour-free bowel specimen was investigated in comparison with non-infected bowel specimen from patients operated on for colonic diverticulosis. The following matrix parameters with known associations to tumour formation, cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis were analysed by immunohistochemistry and quantified by a scoring system: VEGF, TGF-beta, ESDN, CD117, c-erb-2, cyclin D1, p53, p27, COX-2, YB-1, collagen I/III, MMP-13, PAI and uPAR. Expression profiles and correlations were calculated.
Results: The comparison of the two groups revealed a significantly decreased immunostaining for CD117 and TGF-beta in the cancer group (8.5+/-2.6 vs 10.3+/-2,1 and 4.9+/-1.5 vs 8.1+/-3, respectively), whereas PAI scores were significantly higher than in patients with diverticular disease (8.1+/-1.6 vs 6.2+/-0.9). Overall correlation patterns of matrix parameters indicated pronounced differences between tumour-free tissue in cancer patients compared with patients with diverticular disease.
Conclusions: Our results indicate distinct differences in the colonic tissue architecture between cancer patients and patients with diverticulitis that support the notion of an altered matrix composition predisposing to the development of colon cancer.