Cellular protein alterations in colorectal cancer: p28, p53 and p65 studies.

The expression and intracellular distribution of the p28 protein (MW 28 kD), which is electrophoretically specific for tumour cells, the p53 protein (MW 53 kD), one of the most frequently mutated in cancer, and the oncofoetal p65 protein (MW 65 kD), were investigated in colorectal cancer and normal colonic mucosa. The correlation between the expression of these proteins and the stage of the cancer, was evaluated. Neoplastic and normal tissues were fractionated by differential centrifugation, and protein analysis was performed by means of the Western blot technique in the presence of polyclonal (anti-p28 and anti-p65) or monoclonal (anti-p53) antibodies. Among the colorectal cancer cases examined 69% (11/16), 53% (10/19) and 77% (17/22) were positive for p28, p53 and p65, respectively. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the tumour specific p28 protein expression was mainly evident in the nuclear fraction, while the p53 and p65 proteins accumulated in the cell nuclei and the cytoplasm, although to different extents. The p65 protein appeared to be specifically expressed in the early stages of colorectal cancer, while a high level of p53 protein was typical for more invasive colorectal cancer stages.