The role of autophagy in colon cancer and drug rezistance

Objective: Colorectal cancer is the third common cancer in the world. Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation of cellular proteins via autophagic vacuols. Autophagy has a major role in pathogenesis of many diseases such as development, long life and cancer. It is confirmed that it has some effects both on tumour development and induction. The aim of this study was to determine the autophagy, related protein beclin-1, and correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal cancer.Method: Colorectal cancer patient tissue samples were collected from Dokuz Eylul University Medical Faculty Surgery Department. Tumor and corresponding normal tissue specimens were obtained from thirthysix colorectal carcinoma patients. Beclin-1 protein determined with western blotting detection method, in order to indicate of the existence of autophagy in colon cancer tissue samples. Beclin-1 expression and relationship of clinicopathologic characteristics, including invasion, metastasis and stage, were investigated.Results: Beclin-1 protein expression was determined mostly in both tumour and conjugate normal tissue samples of human colorectal cancer patients. In both tumor and normal tissue samples of three patients showed no expression of beclin-1. Beclin-1 protein expression was determined in only two patient?s tumor tissues and four of normal tissue samples. However, any significant correlation was not found among the beclin-1 protein expression and clinicopathologic characteristics of the colorectal cancer patients.Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that autophagy is involved in colorectal carcinogenesis. The largest studies could be beneficial for determination of autophagy and related clinicopathologic characteristics of colorectal cancer.