Expression and significance of Ezrin protein in colorectal adenoma and colorectal carcinoma

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of Ezrin protein in normal colon mucosa, colorectal adenoma and colorectal carcinoma. Methods Eighty colorectal adenoma samples of different pathological types were removed by endoscope in gastroenterology endoscopy center of PLA 252nd Hospital from January 2013 to December 2014, including 30 cases of tubular adenoma, 30 cases of tubulovillous adenoma, and 20 cases of villous adenoma. 30 cases of colorectal carcinoma specimens and 30 cases of pericarcinous tissue specimens that were surgically removed in PLA 252nd Hospital were also obtained. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Ezrin protein in the sections of tissues, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expression level of Ezrin mRNA. Results The positive expression rate of Ezrin protein in normal mucosa group, colorectal adenoma group and colorectal carcinoma group was 6.7%, 52.5% amd 86.7%, respectively with the difference being statistically significant among them (P=0.000). The positive expression rate of Ezrin in tubular adenoma group, tubulovillous adenoma group and villous adenoma group was 33.3%, 60.0% and 70.0% respectively, with the difference being significant among them (P=0.023). The Ezrin mRNA expression in the colorectal carcinoma, villous adenoma, the mixed pattern of adenoma, tubular adenoma and normal colorectal mucosa was 16.466±3.233, 9.778±0.820, 5.966±0.571, 3.043±1.053 and 0.688±0.351 respectively (F=73.628, P=0.017). SNK multiple comparisons displayed that the differences about any two groups of the total mean showed statistical significance. Conclusion The expression of Ezrin may promote proliferation and malignant transformation of colorectal adenoma. Key words: Ezrin protein; Colon adenoma; Colon carcinoma