Estrogen receptor β is expressed in human colorectal adenocarcinoma

• Published in: Human pathology 2001-09, Vol.32 (9), p.940-944
• Main Authors: Witte, Deborah, Chirala, Minni, Younes, Anas, Li, Yang, Younes, Mamoun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - secondary; Adenoma - metabolism; Adenoma - pathology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Count; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Cell Nucleus - pathology; Colon - metabolism; Colon - pathology; colon cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Colorectal Neoplasms - pathology; Estrogen Receptor beta; estrogen receptors; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; immunohistochemistry; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Receptors, Estrogen - metabolism; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Tumors
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1053/hupa.2001.27117

Estrogen receptor β (ER-β) has recently been detected in a human colon cancer cell line. The aim of this work was to determine whether ER-β is expressed in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) tissue and the extent of this expression. ER-β expression in CRC was investigated by immunohistochemical staining of sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 55 CRC. The percent of positive cells was recorded. ER-β immunoreactivity was always present in normal epithelium and adenomas in the same sections of some CRC and was always nuclear. In CRC, nuclear ER-β immunoreactivity was detected in >10% of the cancer cells in 67% of the cases and was almost always associated with cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. There were no statistically significant differences between the ER-β–positive and –negative groups in regard to depth of invasion, nodal metastases, or survival, regardless of the cut-off value used. We conclude that (1) a significant number of CRCs are positive for ER-β. (2) estrogen may play an important role in the proliferation of normal colonic epithelium, and (3) there is differential localization of ER-β immunoreactivity between normal colon, adenomas, and CRCs. Whether different ER-β isoforms are differentially expressed in CRCs, and whether human CRCs respond to treatment with antiestrogens, is the subject of studies currently in progress. HUM PATHOL 32:940-944. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company