Published online Nov 7, 2018. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i41.4679
Peer-review started: August 9, 2018
First decision: August 24, 2018
Revised: September 13, 2018
Accepted: October 5, 2018
Article in press: October 5, 2018
Published online: November 7, 2018
Processing time: 91 Days and 15.2 Hours
G protein-coupled receptor 31 (GPR31) plays an important role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, including inflammation and tumor progression. In this present study, we aimed to elucidate the association between the expression level of GPR31 and colorectal cancer (CRC) progression.
12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [12(S)-HETE] plays an important role in cancer promotion. It potentially acts through GPR31. We aimed to elucidate the association between the expression level of GPR31 and CRC progression. We expect GPR 31 as one of reliable biomarkers can provide guidance to the treatment of CRC and help predict treatment prognosis.
GPR31 is a critical prognostic factor of overall survival and disease-free survival in CRC patients and is closely related to the occurrence, development and prognosis of CRC. GPR31 may become a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC.
We obtained paraffin-embedded pathological specimens from 466 CRC patients. And we examined GPR31 expression levels in CRC tissues from two independent cohorts via immunohistochemical staining. All patients were categorized into either the GPR31 low expression group or GPR31 high expression group. The clinicopathological factors and the prognosis of patients in the GPR31 low expression group and GPR31 high expression group were compared.
Results of the present study showed that GPR31 expression in colorectal cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in normal mucosa and that GPR31 expression levels are closely related to distant metastasis of tumors, which are consistent with findings reported in previous studies. Further univariate and multivariate analyses showed that patients with high GPR31 expression had a worse prognosis and decreased overall survival and disease-free survival than patients that exhibited low GPR31 expression.
We found that GPR31 was closely related to the occurrence, development, and prognosis of CRC. And GPR31 may become a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC. Although few studies have discussed the role of GPR31 in tumors, it is reasonable to believe that GPR31 plays a key regulatory role in tumor development and progression by mediating a specific “switch” effect by 12(S)-HETE. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the detailed mechanisms underlying GPR31 function, specifically the molecular mechanisms by which GPR31 expression affects carcinogenesis process, such as tumor proliferation, differentiation, migration and invasion in CRC.
High GPR31 expression levels were found to be correlated with pM classification of CRC and to serve as an independent predictive factor of poor survival of CRC patients. Further in vivo and in vitro experiments should be done to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which GPR31 expression affects carcinogenesis process, such as tumor proliferation, differentiation, migration and invasion in CRC.