Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology

OBJECTIVE To explore the molecular mechanism of Fas counterattack by observing the expression of Fas and FasL and apoptosis of the epithelium and infiltrative lymphocytes at different stages of intestinal epithelia malignant transformations and further to analyze the relationships among these processes. METHODS Using in-situ hybridization, the expression of Fas mRNA and FasL mRNA in paraffin-embedded tissues was determined. Apoptosis was assessed by the TUNEL method. The tumor specimens were as follows: 37 large intestinal adenocarcinomas, 26 malignant adenomas, 30 tubulo-villous adenomas, and 24 tubular adenomas. Six cases of non-tumor mucosas were used as controls. RESULTS With the progression of malignant transformation, Fas mRNA expression increased slightly in benign adenomas, but significantly decreased in malignant diseases, but, FasL mRNA expression showed an increasing tendency. Apoptotic lymphocyte densities slso showed a