Objective To investigate the expressions and significance of Tribbles 3 (Trib3) and microRNA-1827 (miR-1827) in colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer.

Methods The cancer tissues of 97 patients with colorectal cancer were selected as colorectal cancer group, the polyp tissues of 86 patients with colorectal polyps in the same period were selected as polyp group, and the normal colorectal mucosal tissues of 92 healthy people with colorectal endoscopy in the same period were selected as control group. The expressions of Trib3 in different tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) method was used to detect the expression level of miR-1827 in different tissues; the relationships of the Trib3 and miR-1827 levels with the clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer were analyzed; the correlations between Trib3 and miR-1827 in colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer tissues were analyzed; the multivariate COX regression analysis was used to explore the prognostic factors in patients with colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer.

Results The high expression rate of Trib3 in the colorectal cancer group was higher than that in the polyp group and the control group, while the level of miR-1827 was lower than that in the polyp group and the control group; the high expression rate of Trib3 in the polyp group was higher than that in the control group, while the level of miR-1827 was lower than that in the control group; the between-group differences mentioned above were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The expression levels of Trib3 and miR-1827 were correlated with the polyp diameter, histopathological types and the number of polyps in patients with colorectal polyps (P < 0.01). The expression levels of Trib3 and miR-1827 were correlated with the tumor diameter, clinical staging, lymph node metastasis and degree of differentiation in patients with colorectal cancer (P < 0.05). Trib3 was negatively correlated with miR-1827 in both colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer tissues (r=-0.349, -0.397, P < 0.05). Trib3 was an independent risk factor for ineffective treatment of colorectal polyps (P < 0.05), and miR-1827 was a protective factor for ineffective treatment of colorectal polyps (P < 0.05). Trib3 and clinical staging were the independent risk factors for death in patients with colorectal cancer (P < 0.05), and miR-1827 was a protective factor for death in patients with colorectal cancer (P < 0.05).

Conclusion The expression levels of Trib3 and miR-1827 are up-regulated and down-regulated respectively in the carcinogenesis process of colorectal mucosal tissues, the detection on expression changes of the two indexes can monitor the malignant process of colorectal polyps, and carry out the early prevention of colorectal cancer.