Abstract
BACKGROUND: MTUYH and OGG1 genes have importance in the base excision repair systems of oxidized DNA bases. Modification of the tissue expression of these genes is related to the increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. AIM: To evaluate the tissue expression of MUTYH and OGG1 comparing normal and neoplastic tissues of patients with sporadic colorectal cancer and to correlate it with clinical and histopathological variables. METHOD: MUTYH and OGG1 tissue expression was quantified by RT-PCR in patients with colorectal cancer and the values were compared in normal and neoplastic tissues. MUTYH and OGG1 expression was measured and normalized to the constitutive 18S gene. The level of expression of both genes was correlated with the variables: age, gender, tumor location, size of the tumor, histological type, degree of cell differentiation, invasion depth in the intestinal wall, angiolymphatic infiltration, lymph node involvement and TNM staging. RESULTS: Was found downregulation of both genes in neoplastic when compared to normal tissue. There was downregulation of the MUTYH in larger tumors and in patients with angiolymphatic invasion. Tumors with more advanced TNM stages (III and IV) presented downregulation of both genes when compared to those with earlier stages (I and II). CONCLUSION: The MUTYH and OGG1 genes present downregulation in the more advanced stages of colorectal cancer.