P53 expression and D-galactose-B- [1--3] -N-acetyl-D-galactosamine in colorectal bilharziasis, precancerous lesions and carcinoma

ABSTRACT

In an attempt to evaluate the role of bilharziasis in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, the specific molecular changes associated with specific morphologic changes in colorectal bilharzial lesions, precancerous lesions as well as selected cases of cancer were studied. A total of 36 tissue samples were selected and carefully investigated in this study. They included 20 cases of non-cancerous colonic bilharziasis [5 bilharzial colitis, 5 bilharzial granuloma and 10 bilharzial polyps], 3 cases of ulcerative colitis, 3 cases of juvenile polyps and 10 cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma [8 with bilharziasis and 2 without bilharziasis]. p53 and GO-Schiff reaction were done on these cases. It was found that cancer cases expressed both p53 and Gal-GalNAc markers. Moreover, involved mucosa remote from the tumor revealed Gal-GalNAc staining. All bilharzial cases, as well as juvenile polyps, from non-cancerous patients showed no positivity for both markers. However, one case of ulcerative colitis associated with moderate dysplasia exhibited p53 as well as Gal-GalNAC expression