RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Vitamin D receptor expression in colorectal cancer.
JF Journal of Clinical Pathology
JO J Clin Pathol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists
SP 181
OP 183
DO 10.1136/jcp.52.3.181
VO 52
IS 3
A1 Thomas, M G
A1 Sylvester, P A
A1 Newcomb, P
A1 Longman, R J
YR 1999
UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/52/3/181.abstract
AB AIMS: To determine whether the vitamin D receptor is expressed in colorectal cancer, and its relation to stage of disease. METHODS: Paraffin embedded sections of colorectal cancer from 30 patients who had undergone surgery were studied. Immunohistochemistry using the specific monoclonal antibody 9A7 gamma directed against the nuclear vitamin D receptor was used to identify receptors for the active metabolite of vitamin D3 (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3). RESULTS: Microscopically normal human colorectal epithelium showed vitamin D receptor expression predominantly in the mid and upper crypts. All the colorectal cancer tissue studied showed vitamin D receptor expression, with a median of 25.3 (range 10.1 to 43.7) cells/graticule field (x 400). Although vitamin D receptor staining was heterogeneous within the individual cancers, neither Dukes stage nor the degree of differentiation appeared to influence expression of the receptor. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal cancer tissue expresses the nuclear vitamin D receptor and this could act as a potential therapeutic target for synthetic vitamin D3 differentiating agents.