β-Catenin Regulation in Sporadic Colorectal Carcinogenesis: Not as Simple as APC

Figure 3

COX-2 expression in the various disease entities. (a) COX-2 mRNA expression. CNRQ = Calibrated Normalized Relative Quantities, normalized to mean for all samples. Total patient number studied = seventy-four (74) with Normal group: fifteen (15) patients, C-IBS group: twenty-two (22) patients, D-IBS group: seven (7) patients, CD group: six (6) patients, UC group: eight (8) patients, and CRC group: sixteen (16) patients. denotes significantly different versus normal group (p<0.05). (b) COX-2 IHC. One-hundred and fourteen (114) patient slides analysed with breakdown as follows: Normal group: twenty-six (26) patients, C-IBS: thirty-one (31) patients, D-IBS: thirteen (13) patients, CD: seven (7) patients, UC: twelve (12) patients, and CRC: twenty-five (25) patients.

(a) COX-2 mRNA expression steadily increased over disease entities with significance in IBD and CRC

(b) COX-2 protein expression was significant in the IBS groups with reduced expression in CRC and IBD