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IL-23/IL-23R: potential mediator of intestinal tumor progression from adenomatous polyps to colorectal carcinoma

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International Journal of Colorectal Disease Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Interleukin 23 (IL-23) affects tumor growth by regulating Th cells and plays a vital role in immunosuppression in tumor tissues. However, whether tumor cells are IL-23R positive or whether IL-23 has the potential to influence the growth of cancer cells directly remains unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the molecular expression patterns of IL-23, IL-23R, and Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) in normal tissues adjacent to cancer, in intestinal polyps (IP), and in colorectal carcinoma (CRC), and to infer the relationship between the expression patterns of these three molecules and the progress of intestinal tumors from adenomatous polyps to colorectal cancer.

Methods

The levels of IL-23A, IL-23R, and FOXP3 were evaluated in normal tissues adjacent to cancer (NT, n = 13), IP (n = 26), and CRC (n = 13) using real-time PCR, ELISA, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunocytochemistry.

Results

The expression of IL-23 and FOXP3 increased progressively from NT through to CRC. Immunohistochemistry staining showed that IL-23R was highly positive in carcinoma cells of the CRC group, whereas it was partially positive in cells of other groups. In addition, the human CRC cell line SW-480 exhibited weak IL-23R immunocytochemical positivity.

Conclusions

We propose that the IL-23/IL-23R pathway is a potential route to facilitate the malignant progression of cancers. The relationship between IL-23 and FOXP3 in the microenvironment of carcinoma led us to deduce that these two molecules may interact with each other. Although the exact mechanism underlying this interaction remains a mystery, we are convinced that these two molecules are relevant in cancer progression and that IL-23 could be a potential target for cancer immunotherapy.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grant 136050132 from the Startup Foundation of the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. We would like to thank Dr. Wengeng Zhang (Center for Regenerative Developmental Biology, the Forsyth Institute) for critically reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Feng Lan, Le Zhang, Jie Zhang, Sen Zhang, Kai Li, Yanyu Qi & Ping Lin

  2. Digestive System Department, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Junchao Wu

  3. 1 Keyuan 4 Road, Gaopeng Avenue, Hi-tech Development, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China

    Ping Lin

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  1. Feng Lan
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  2. Le Zhang
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  4. Jie Zhang
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  5. Sen Zhang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ping Lin.

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Feng Lan and Le Zhang had equal contributions to the work.

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Lan, F., Zhang, L., Wu, J. et al. IL-23/IL-23R: potential mediator of intestinal tumor progression from adenomatous polyps to colorectal carcinoma. Int J Colorectal Dis 26, 1511–1518 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-011-1232-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-011-1232-6

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