Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with an inflammatory response characterized by a cellular infiltrate, with the relationship between inflammation and cancer being recognized. The role of purinergic signaling in determining the immune response to tumors has been a subject of discussion. The enzyme CD73 is emerging as a potential new therapeutic target. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of genes related to immunosuppression in PBMCs isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with colorectal cancer and compare them with healthy individuals. Method Three patients diagnosed with primary CRC were selected. Blood samples were collected during the preoperative phase and subjected to a PBMC (Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells) isolation protocol, which separates different blood cells by density differences. qPCR was performed for the genes: CD73, CD39, Ab2, and MCP-1. Results The patients were of both genders, over 50 years old, white, with a positive family history of cancer and a diagnosis of colon adenocarcinoma. The analysis of the PBMCs revealed an increase in the expression of the enzymes CD39 and CD73 in the patient samples, which are responsible for degrading ATP, ADP, and AMP, and generating adenosine in the extracellular medium, an immunosuppressive molecule that blocks the immune response against the tumor. An increase in the expression of the A2b receptor, which has selective specificity for adenosine and is also involved in immunosuppressive processes in CRC, was also observed. The MCP-1 gene (Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1) had increased expression and is associated with increased macrophage infiltration in CRC. Conclusion The three patients with CRC presented an immunosuppressive profile, evidenced by the increased gene expression of purinergic markers compared to the control individuals. These results suggest that there is modulation of immune cells at the level of the peripheral blood system of the patients. Further analyses are necessary to confirm how these findings may help predict prognosis and metastasis development in patients. Publication History Article published online: 25 April 2025 © 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda. Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil
Source: Journal of Coloproctology
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409792122