Overexpression of CD10 and reduced MUC2 expression correlate with the development and progression of colorectal neoplasms.

There are two opposing theories of the natural history of colorectal neoplasm, adenoma-carcinoma sequence and de novo carcinogenesis. To elucidate the histogenesis of colorectal carcinoma, we investigated the expression of CD10, MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC6, and p53 in colorectal neoplasms. Sixty-seven morphologically distinct neoplastic specimens were divided into the following groups according to morphology: adenoma (groups A and B), protruded-type carcinoma (group C), superficial-type carcinoma with adenomatous component (group D), or superficial-type carcinomas without any adenomatous component (group E). Diagnoses of adenomas and carcinomas were based upon the Vienna classification of gastrointestinal epithelial neoplasia. The expression of CD10 in group E lesions was more intense than in the other groups. Regardless of morphology, MUC2 expression was significantly decreased in CD10-positive carcinomas, and the p53-positive rate was much higher in CD10-positive than in CD10-negative carcinomas. The overexpression of CD10 and reduced expression of MUC2 may be associated with the development and progression of colorectal carcinoma. A specific tendency was evident in superficial-type carcinomas without any adenomatous component (de novo carcinomas). These carcinomas are considered to be more aggressive than other morphologically distinct carcinomas.