Abstract
AIM: To observe the status of tumor-associated B7 molecule mRNA expression in human colorectal cancer tissue by in situ hybridization.
METHODS: The mRNA expression patterns of cancer-associated B7-1,B7H1,B7H2,ICOS in 22 specimens of human colorectal cancer tissue were monitored by in situ hybridization (ISH) with digoxin-labeled oligonucleotide probes.
RESULTS: B7-1,B7H1,B7H2,ICOS mRNA were detected in both cancer cells and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). The mRNA expression level of these molecules in tumor cells was higher than that in TIL (0.76 ± 0.54-1.62 ± 0.82 vs 0.38 ± 0.19-0.65 ± 0.33, P<0.001). There was no relationship between expression level of tested B7 family molecules and patients’ sex, age, differentiation status of cancer and regional lymph node metastasis.
CONCLUSION: Th2 cytokine predominant in tumor microenvironment might be related to the expression of B7H1,B7H2 co-signal molecules in tumor cells and TIL.
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