Interdependence between an expression of the ATG9A gene and the BAX gene in colorectal cancer

Abstract

Despite great progress in colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention, early recognition and treatment, a high frequency of morbidity and mortality of CRC patients is still observed even in developed countries. Molecular characterization of this tumor becomes a standard procedure allowing for application of personalized therapy. However, searching for new biomarkers and for new individual therapeutic strategies is increasingly desirable. In this study on molecular background of CRC, we focused on analyses of mRNA levels of autophagy gene ATG9A and pro-apoptotic gene BAX. Genes involved in autophagy, that is the catabolic and conservative cellular process, have been revealed as a promising new cancer biomarker as well as anti-cancer target. Under normal circumstances autophagy occurs at a low, basal level in most human cells, however in cancer cells its expression varies from down- to upregulation. Despite the fact that the complex link between autophagy and apoptosis is well documented, these interrelations have not yet been fully uncovered. The relative expression of mRNA values of ATG9A and BAX genes in colorectal cancer samples vs normal adjacent tissues was assessed by Real-time PCR with Universal Probe Library. The results of our study revealed a statistically significant correlation between the expression of BAX and ATG9A genes, showing that in CRC a higher expression of BAX gene is connected with lower expression of ATG9A.