RESUMEN
AIMS: ß-Catenin accumulation promotes proliferation. However, the correlation between proliferation of colorectal epithelium and ß-catenin in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients remains unclear. METHODS: Colorectal epithelium samples from distal ends of colorectal adenocarcinomas without histological aberrances were divided into two groups: DM patients with type 2 DM for more than 1year (n=27) and non-DM patients without hyperglycemia (n=20). Samples from patients without colorectal epithelial disease or hyperglycemia served as a control group (n=6). Proliferative index was calculated as the percentage of proliferating cell nuclear antigen positive cells. Wnt/ß-catenin signaling was assessed immunohistochemically and phosphorylation of ß-catenin was assessed by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Compared with the non-DM or control group, the proliferative index and expression of lactate dehydrogenase A and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling were significantly higher in the DM group (all p<0.01). The proliferative index correlated positively with ß-catenin expression (Spearman correlation coefficient=0.55; p<0.01). Reduced phosphorylation at serine 33/37 and increased phosphorylation at serine 675 of ß-catenin were detected in the DM group (all p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced proliferation, accompanied by increased aerobic glycolysis, was detected in colorectal epithelium of patients with diabetes. ß-Catenin accumulation with altered phosphorylation correlated with the proliferative changes.