Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common cancers. Most CRCs are sporadic, CRC develops in five stages, from healthy mucosa to adenoma and late stage carcinoma. An important role in CRC development could be associated with cancer cells with stem cell properties (SC). We hypothesize that the differences in expression of selected genes are associated with SC in CRC development, and that selected miRNAs regulate these genes. Using bioinformatics tools we analyzed publicly available RNA data obtained with sequencing and microarrays for samples of adenomas, CRC and corresponding colon mucosa. For further validation, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we chose genes associated with SC (ANLN, CDK1, ECT2, L1TD1, PDGFD, SLITRK6, ST6GALNAC1, TCEA3, TNC and TNXB) and selected, predicted potentially regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs). For validation of expression we used tissue samples from patients with adenomas, adenomas with early carcinoma, CRC without and with metastases. The function of the selected protein was characterized by silencing in PC3 and HT-29 cell lines. We found evidence that differential expression of genes ANLN, ECT2, TCEA3 and TNC is potentially associated with malignant transformation, while differential expression of genes ANLN, CDK1, ECT2, L1TD1, SLITRK6, ST6GALNAC1 and TCEA3 is potentially associated with metastasizing. We found no significant association between selected potentially regulatory miRNAs and selected genes.
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