A study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, examined how the Myosin V family impacts colorectal cancer.
Elisabeth Letellier, PhD, of Luxembourg City, Luxembourg-based University of Luxembourg, and colleagues used meta-analyzed gene expression data to study how different members of the Myosin V family expressed themselves in CRC patients.
Researchers used laser-microdissected materials and tissue microarrays paired with human CRC samples to validate RNA and protein expression of Myosin Vb as well as known adapter proteins in patients.
Researchers discovered methylation-independent loss of MYO5B expression in CRC patients matched disease progression. Although a number of disease mutations were identified in a small patient group, researchers don't feel the mutations were solely responsible for the downregulation in CRC patients.
Researchers determined CRC patients with lower MYO5B expression had shorter overall disease and metastasis-free survival as compared to those with normal expression.
They concluded, "Our data identify MYO5B as a powerful prognostic biomarker in CRC, especially in early stages (stages I and II), which might help stratifying patients with stage II for adjuvant chemotherapy."