ABSTRACT
[Objective] To detect the expression of CD137L mRNA and protein in colorectal cancer tissues and discuss its possible clinical significance.[Methods] To detect the expression of CD137L mRNA in colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues by real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry and to analyze the relationship between CD137L expression and clinical features.[Results] The mean level of CD137L mRNA in colorectal cancer tissues is significantly higher than that of adjacent noncancerous tissues (0.035 ± 0.013 vs.0.008 ± 0.005,P ＜ 0.05 ).CD137L mRNA expression in colorectal cancer show no significant differences among different age,sex,tumor location,Dukes classification,histological differentiation,and serum levels of CEA.We selected 8 colorectal cancer tissues and 3 adjacent tissues randomly to analyze the expression of CD137L by immunohistochemistry.CD137L was expressed on tumor cells in colorectal cancer tissues.The expression of CD137L was observed only in colorectal cancer tissues (6/8),but not in adjacent noncancerous tissues (0/3).[Conclusions] The expression of CD137L Mrna in colorectal cancer tissues is higher than that of adjacent noncancerous tissues and CD137 is expressed on tumor cell surface,it might be of biological importance for the progression of colorectal cancer.