Olfactomedin 4 associates with expression of differentiation markers but not with properties of cancer stemness, EMT nor metastatic spread in colorectal cancer.

ABSTRACT: Tumor stem cells play a pivotal role in carcinogenesis and metastatic spread in colorectal cancer (CRC). Olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4) is co-expressed with the established stem cell marker leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 at the bottom of intestinal crypts and has been suggested as a surrogate for cancer stemness and a biomarker in gastrointestinal tumors associated with prognosis. Therefore, it was the aim of the present study to clarify whether OLFM4 is involved in carcinogenesis and metastatic spread in CRC. We used a combined approach of functional assays using forced OLFM4 overexpression in human CRC cell lines, xenograft mice, and an immunohistochemical approach using patient tissues to investigate the impact of OLFM4 on stemness, canonical Wnt signaling, properti

SUBMITTER: Jaitner S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9732686 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature