Role of tissue transglutaminase and effect of cantharidinate in human colorectal cancer.

The role of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) in cancer development remains an important field of study. The aim of the current study was to understand the involvement of tTG in cancer and the inhibitory effect of cantharidinate on the expression of tTG in human colorectal cancer (CRC) using immunohistochemical and PCR analysis. The results showed that the expression of tTG increased in human CRC and cantharidinate inhibited the expression of tTG. These results suggested that tTG is significant in human CRC and that tTG may be an important target for tumor chemoprevention and treatment. Cantharidinate may be considered as a novel co­therapy for controlling tTG expression in human CRC.