Background: Flat adenomas in the colon are associated with a relatively higher potential for malignancy. Distinct genes may be involved in the development of flat adenoma. The aim of this study was to profile gene expression changes in flat adenomas in the colon.
Methods: A genomewide expression analysis was carried out by using flat adenoma and adjacent normal mucosa in the colon to detect differences in gene expression. Because the right and left colon have different embryonic origins, each sample was classified according to its location, and the gene expression levels between flat adenoma and adjacent normal mucosa were also compared among samples derived from the right or left colon.
Results: A total of 180 genes were differentially expressed between flat adenoma and normal mucosa in the colon, including matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7), cadherin 3 (CDH3), S100P, and dual oxidase 2 (DUOX2). In addition, a total of 89 and 49 genes were differentially expressed between flat adenoma and normal mucosa among the samples from the right and left colon, respectively. Subsequent quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction supported the reliability of the expression analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed differential CDH3 and MMP7 protein expression.
Conclusions: This is the first report characterizing the genes differentially expressed in flat adenomas using a microarray analysis. Considerable differences in the gene expression profiles of flat adenomas also exist between the right and left colon. These data should lead to new insights into the pathogenesis of flat adenomas in the colon as well as to new therapeutic strategies.