ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the correlation of c-MET and CXCR4 proteins and microvessel density (MVD) with liver metastasis in colorectal cancer tissues.Methods:A total of 40 colorectal cancer tissue samples and 10 paracancerous (5 cm from the edge of the tumor) normal colorectal tissue samples were collected from March 2015 to December 2020 in Shanxi Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital. Among 40 patients with colorectal cancer, 15 patients had liver metastasis. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect c-MET protein, CXCR4 protein and CD34-labeled MVD in various tissues, and the relationships between them and liver metastasis and between the three were analyzed.Results:The positive rates of c-MET protein [72.5% (29/40) vs. 30.0% (3/10)], CXCR4 protein [47.5% (19/40) vs. 10.0% (1/10)] and MVD (20.1±5.2 vs. 11.5±4.3) in colorectal cancer tissues were higher than those in paracancerous tissues, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The positive rates of c-MET protein [86.7% (13/15) vs. 64.0% (16/25)] and CXCR4 protein [66.7% (10/15) vs. 36.0% (9/25)] in colorectal cancer liver metastasis group were significantly higher than those in non-liver metastasis group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.05). MVD in colorectal cancer liver metastasis group was significantly higher than that in non-liver metastasis group (21.5±5.3 vs. 12.4±5.7), and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). In colorectal cancer tissues, c-MET protein expression was positively correlated with CXCR4 protein expression ( r = 0.568, P < 0.05), and MVD in c-MET-positive patients or CXCR4-positive patients was higher than that in negative ones (both P < 0.05). Conclusions:The c-MET protein, CXCR4 protein and MVD may play important roles in the liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. The three indicators can provide a certain reference for the early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.