Abstract
Aim: The reprogramming of energy metabolism is one of the emerging hallmarks of cancer. Lipid metabolism plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of many diseases including cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most aggressive tumors and death-related cancers worldwide. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is widely involved in the metabolism of many lipids including cholesterol and chylomicron. Therefore, this study aims to determine the serum ApoE levels in CRC patients and to assess its relationship with the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 46 normal controls and 62 CRC patients to determine the lipid profile and serum ApoE levels. The demographic characteristics of all the participants were recorded. The expression of ApoE levels in the blood of CRC patients was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and compared with the adjusted lipid profile controls. Results: CRC patients had lower ApoE levels in their serum than the controls (mean of ApoE in the CRC patients was 7.346 +/- 0.71 vs. 14.86 +/- 1.03 in the controls, p < 0.0001). However, this reduced level was not correlated with the progression of CRC. Moreover, the expression of mRNA for ApoE showed a non-significant difference between the groups. Discussion: The current data revealed for the first time that ApoE levels were highly significantly reduced among the CRC patients, but it might not be appropriate to be used as a prognostic marker for CRC progression.