c-Myb and Bcl-x overexpression predicts poor prognosis in colorectal cancer: clinical and experimental findings.

The aim of this study was twofold: to assess the relationship between c-Myb and Bcl-x expression and to evaluate the prognostic significance of their expression in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients. Analysis of tumors from 91 CRC patients for expression of c-Myb and Bcl-x revealed a significant relationship between these two proteins. Kaplan-Meier's analysis showed an increased risk of relapse and death in patients whose tumor specimens displayed high c-Myb levels and Bcl-x positivity. Similar results were also observed excluding Dukes' D patients. Molecular analysis using three c-Myb-overexpressing LoVo clones indicated that c-Myb overexpression was accompanied by up-regulation of Bcl-x(L) protein and mRNA. Tumors originating from these clones injected in nude mice were significantly larger than those formed in mice injected with parental or vector-transfected LoVo cells. Moreover, tumors derived from parental and control vector-transfected but not from c-Myb-overexpressing LoVo cells showed high frequency of apoptotic cells. These results provide direct evidence of an association between c-Myb and Bcl-x expression and suggest that expression of both molecules might be a useful prognostic marker in CRC.