Immunoexpression of stem cell markers CD44, CD133, ALDH1-2, and LGR5 in colorectal carcinoma and their association with clinicopathological tumor characteristics.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of CD44, CD133, ALDH1-2, and LGR5 expression with clinicopathological tumor variables.

METHODS

Twenty-eight adult patients with colorectal carcinoma who underwent curative surgery were included in the study. Paraffin-embedded samples were subjected to immunohistochemical staining with anti-CD44, anti-CD133, anti-ADLH1-2, and anti-LGR5 antibodies, and the results were compared with the patients' clinicopathological variables. P-values <0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients (53.6%) were male. The mean age was 66.8±13.01 (range: 38 to 88) years. The neoplasm was located in the rectum in 17 (60.7%) patients and colon in 11 (39.3%) patients. The mean tumor size was 4.3 (1.0-10.0) cm. The degree of cellular differentiation was moderate in 27 (94.4%) patients. The tumors presented with parietal invasion at the T1 level in two (7.1%) patients, T2 in seven (25%), and T3 in 19 (67.8%). Vascular invasion was present in nine (32.1%) patients and perineural invasion in five (17.8%). Lymph node involvement was observed in 11 patients (39.3%). ALDH1-5 and LGR5 proteins were significantly increased in patients >60 years of age, in the rectum and right colon, and in the presence of lymph node involvement. CD44 protein expression was increased in tumors of the left colon.

CONCLUSION

Increased tissue levels of ALDH1-2 and LGR5 were related to increased aggressiveness of colorectal carcinoma.