Out of the 150 colorectal adenocarcinoma samples included in the study (73 women, 77 men), immunohistochemical staining (IHC) revealed that 100 samples tested positive for the presence of the p53 protein. Notably, 19 samples (12.67%) exhibited positive staining for E. histolytica lectin, with 14 of these samples co-expressing the p53 protein (Table 1). These findings provide initial insights into the prevalence and co-occurrence of E. histolytica lectin and p53 protein within the colorectal adenocarcinoma samples.
Table 1: The agreement between levels of p53 variants and Eh lectin in colorectal adenocarcinoma samples
Adenocarcinoma (No.=150)
|
|
Eh lectin
|
Total
|
Positive
|
Negative
|
p53
|
Positive
|
14
|
86
|
100
|
Negative
|
5
|
45
|
50
|
Total
|
19
|
131
|
150
|
Confirmation of Positivity:
All 19 samples that tested positive for E. histolytica lectin through immunohistochemical staining (IHC) were further validated using the western blot method. This meticulous cross-verification revealed a remarkable 100% concordance between the two techniques, highlighting the robustness and reliability of the findings (Figures 1 and 2). This consistency fortifies the confidence in the detected presence of E. histolytica lectin within the colorectal adenocarcinoma samples.
The images in Figure 2 illustrate the distinct staining patterns observed in the immunohistochemical analysis. Panels A and B represent negative staining for E. histolytica lectin, while panels C, D, and E showcase positive staining for E. histolytica lectin. Panels F and G display negative staining for p53, contrasting with panel H, which exhibits positive staining for p53. These visual representations offer a comprehensive view of the immunohistochemical results, emphasizing the variability in staining between E. histolytica lectin and p53.
The combined analysis of immunohistochemical staining (Fig. 1), Western blotting (Fig. 2), and absorbance values (Table 2) collectively signifies the presence of the lectin light chain of the E. histolytica antigen within the colorectal adenocarcinoma samples. To enhance interpretability, a cutoff for absorbance values was determined at 0.68, designating values higher than this threshold as a positive indicator of the E. histolytica antigen.
In-depth insights into the relationship between p53 expression levels and E. histolytica lectin are provided in Table 2. Significantly, a correlation was observed between these variables, reaching statistical significance at P<0.05. These findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between p53 and E. histolytica lectin expression in the context of colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Table 2: The amount of absorption obtained in terms of the lectin light chain of E.histolytica antigen in colorectal adenocarcinoma samples based on western blotting results.
Sample
|
|
Actin
|
E.histolytica
|
|
Ratio
|
Negative*
(Mean)
|
1
|
10128.27
|
14740.7
|
|
0.687095
|
Positive
|
2
|
13172.50
|
14305.58
|
|
0.974051
|
Positive
|
3
|
13987.58
|
18023.72
|
|
0.802065
|
Positive
|
4
|
22104.55
|
23028.26
|
|
1.041788
|
Positive
|
5
|
17931.41
|
18475.79
|
|
1.030359
|
Positive
|
6
|
18084.12
|
25939.81
|
|
1.434397
|
Positive
|
7
|
15710.29
|
15010.48
|
|
1.046621
|
positive
|
8
|
13434.45
|
14204.58
|
|
0.945783
|
positive
|
9
|
16088.99
|
13988.65
|
|
1.150146
|
Positive
|
10
|
13170.45
|
13382.29
|
|
0.98417
|
positive
|
11
|
16012.2
|
15505.46
|
|
1.032681
|
positive
|
12
|
13141.85
|
12107.46
|
|
1.085434
|
Positive
|
13
|
14875.77
|
13274.51
|
|
1.120627
|
positive
|
14
|
15394.87
|
11231.27
|
|
1.370715
|
Positive
|
15
|
8061.865
|
9985.267
|
|
0.807376
|
* Values higher than 0.68, which is the average result of 131 negative cases, were considered as a cutoff.
Correlation Between E. histolytica (Eh) Lectin and p53 Expression in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cells:
P53 positive (P53+) samples:
Among the 100 samples that tested positive for p53, 14 samples also exhibited positive expression for E. histolytica lectin (Eh+). The disparity in E. histolytica lectin expression between these two groups was statistically significant, with a P-value less than 0.005. It is essential to note that this significant difference does not imply concordance between the Eh+ and Eh- samples within the P53+ group.
P53 negative (P53-) samples:
Within the subset of samples testing negative for p53 (50 samples), 5 were identified as positive for E. histolytica lectin (Eh+). Conversely, 45 samples in this category did not express E. histolytica lectin (Eh-). The variation in E. histolytica lectin expression in this cohort was also statistically significant, with a P-value less than 0.005. This variation contradicts the expectation of a uniform antigenic structure in Eh- and Eh+ samples within the p53-negative group.