Medicina Molecular e Genética

The Paralogous Group HOX 13 Discriminates between Normal Colon Tissue and Colon Cancer

Abstract

Procino Alfredo

Colon diseases are more common in the world with an increasing trend. Despite the different etiology and physiology, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is crucial during transformation, migration and invasive ability of colon cancer cells. Several genes are implicated in the control of EMT (Wnt, Notch, Src, Ras, etc.). The homeobox genes are a transcription factor family, they are arranged in several classes. Class I homeobox genes (Hox in mice and HOX in humans), are 39 transcription factors, mainly involved in the regulation of embryonic development program. In the present study, we have analyzed the expression of HOX genes, during tumor cell lines differentiation (CaCo2) and compared with the expression of HOX gene network, in the normal intestinal mucosa