Among genes upregulated in the bottom, ∼30% were classified as growth and/or developmental genes including several in the PI3 kinase pathway, a six-transmembrane protein STAMP1, and two homeobox (HOXA4, HOXD10) genes. qPCR and immunostaining validated that HOXA4 and HOXD10 are selectively expressed in the normal crypt bottom and are overexpressed in colon carcinomas (CRCs).
The expression of STEAP2 was significantly higher (p = 0.002) in both untreated primary and hormone-refractory prostate carcinomas than in benign prostate hyperplasias, suggesting that it may be involved in the development of prostate cancer.