Protein Expression Levels of the DCAF4-MEN1-hTERT Axis in Patients With Colon Adenocarcinoma and Their Relationship With Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prognosis

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between the expression levels of DNA damage binding protein 1 and cullin 4-related factor 4 (DCAF4) complex, which degrades the tumor suppressor menin 1 (MEN1)–human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) axis protein, and the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with colon adenocarcinoma. MethodsNinety-four patients with colon adenocarcinoma were included. The expression of DCAF4, MEN1, and hTERT in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression levels of DCAF4, MEN1, and hTERT in patients with different pathological grades and T stages were compared. Spearman rank correlation was used for correlation analysis, and survival analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of DCAF4, MEN1, and hTERT expression levels on the overall survival of patients with colon adenocarcinoma. ResultsThe expression levels of DCAF4 and MEN1 proteins in cancer tissues of colon adenocarcinoma patients (10.83 ± 2.89; 9.71 ± 3.57) were higher than those in adjacent tissues (2.39 ± 1.57; 4.92 ± 2.71, P P P BRAF gene (5.47 ± 1.81), those with the mutant-type BRAF gene had a higher expression score of DCAF4 protein (9.30 ± 0.42, P ρ = 0.219, P = 0.034). Compared with patients in stage T2 (3.93 ± 2.47), patients in stage T3 had a higher expression score of hTERT protein (6.25 ± 3.04, P ConclusionHigh expression of DCAF4 and hTERT, as well as low expression of MEN1, is associated with unfavorable clinical and pathological features but has no significant relationship with prognosis.