Expression of cyclin dependent kinase 1 in colorectal cancer: A cell cycle regulator with prognostic potential

Abstract

Background: Cell cycle regulation plays important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of the cell cycle is a hallmark of various diseases including cancer. In this study, the focus was to investigate expression profile of a major cell cycle related gene (CDK1) in colorectal cancer tissues and its active role in cell life.

Methods: Tissue samples were collected from the patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Total RNA was extracted and gene expression levels were quantified via quantitative real-time PCR. Relative expression levels were estimated using ΔΔCt Livak method. Curated interaction pathway of CDK1 was generated using the NDEx Integrated Query platform to highlight the associated signaling networks.

Results: CDK1 showed significant deregulation in the clinical samples compared to matched normal mucosa tissues. Overexpression of CDK1 was observed in the cases as compared to base level in control tissues. On average, a consistent induction was observed in stage I (2.6fold), stage II (4.7fold), stage III (3.5fold) and stage IV (3.99fold) cancerous tissues. Bioinformatic approach reflected the involvement of CDK1 in key cellular functions including G2 phase arrest, DNA replication, DNA repair, G1/S phase transition and mitotic activity, thereby indicating potential contribution to cancer progression and tumor development.

Conclusion: The findings reflect clear induction of CDK1 gene in colorectal cancer tissues and may serve as a potential biomarker for prognosis. However, validation in larger cohort is needed to explore its utility in prognostic and therapeutic domains.