Evaluation of CUL3 Gene Expression Changes in Iranian Population with Colorectal Cancer and Polyps

The bowel or colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common fatal malignancies caused by environmental and genetic factors. The phenomenal growth in the number of people with CRC worldwide, especially in Iran highlights the importance of research on CRC.The current study focused on molecular pathways involved in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer to identify a new diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker for CRC.Colorectal cancer is the consequence of dysplasia in the initial intestinal appendages also known as polyps which are different and unknown in terms of morphology, molecular mechanisms, and the ability to affect intestinal carcinogenesis. In this cross-sectional study, 208 colorectal tissue biopsy specimens, including 34 tumor tissue, , 60 precancerous lesions with  adjacent tissue, as well as 20 normal tissue specimens were collected. CUL3 gene expression was evaluated using real-time PCR method. No significant difference was observed in mRNA expression level of CUL3 between polyp tissues and their normal adjacent samples (p = 0.35).Our results showed a statistically significant difference in CUL3 expression neither between tumor tissues and their adjacent normal samples (p = 0.89) nor among tumor and polyp groups (p = 0.48).CUL3 could play a critical role in regulating carcinogenesis and progression of CRC through stimulating proteasomal degradation of various tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Studies on CUL3-affected substrates in colorectal cancer are of significant importance.