Differential loss of PRUNE2 in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues

Colorectal cancer is of the most prevalent and deadliest cancer in the world. Cumulative evidence suggests that PRUNE is a tumor suppressor gene and plays a significant role in the development and progression of human cancers. However, its role during colorectal cancer development remains elusive. In the present study, we aimed to determine the role of PRUNE2 and its diagnostic significance in colorectal cancer. A total of 70 patients with colorectal cancer and 30 control subjects were included in the present study. All patients were confirmed to be colorectal adenocarcinoma. PRUNE2, P53, and PCNA immunoreactivity of patients were determined using standard immunohistochemistry staining techniques. Notably, PRUNE2 was identified to be significantly downregulated in colorectal cancer patients compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). Almost no immunoreactivity was observed in tumor samples compared to healthy colon tissues, where significant immunoreactivity was observed. Also, both P53 and PCNA were significantly higher in patients with colorectal cancer (p < 0.0001). Overall, our results suggest that PRUNE is a reliable and robust biomarker for the differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer and can be used for future diagnostic applications together with other immunological biomarkers such as PCNA.