Expression and localization of the immunophilin FKBP51 in colorectal carcinomas and primary metastases, and alterations following oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy

The immunophilin FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP51) is a scaffold protein that serves a pivotal role in the regulation of multiple signaling pathways, integrating external and internal stimuli into distinct signal outputs. In a previous study, we identified several genes that are significantly up- or downregulated in the peripheral white cells (PWCs) of colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) patients undergoing oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. In our screening, FKBP51 gene expression was downregulated following chemotherapy. In order to determine whether this alteration in gene expression observed in PWCs may be detected at the protein level in tumors and metastases following the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy, an immunohistochemical analysis of FKBP51 in CRC and primary metastasis tissues was performed. The present study confirmed the downregulation of FKBP51 gene expression elicited by chemotherapy with folinic acid (leucovorin), fluorouracil and oxaliplatin in metastasized liver tissue that had been resected after the oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy, compared with tissue section samples of CRC from patients (prior to antineoplastic treatment). Furthermore, the results indicated that, in CRC tissue sections, the expression of FKBP51 protein is associated with an immature phenotype of stromal fibroblasts and with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype, suggesting a role for this protein in the EMT process in CRC. Finally, the observation that only certain cells of the stroma express FKBP51 protein suggests a potential role for this immunophilin as a stroma cell subtype marker.