ACF DETECTION METHOD
The present invention provides a method for detecting ACF by analyzing a test region of large intestine tissue at the molecular level. Namely, the present invention relates to a method for detecting aberrant crypt foci (ACF) that comprises detecting an ACF detection marker in a test region of large intestine tissue, by using one or more types of molecules for which ACF-specific expression increases as the ACF detection marker, the molecule being selected from the group consisting of SLC2a1, and SLC7a7; an ACF detection marker for detecting the ACF in human-derived large intestine tissue, that is SLC2a1, or SLC7a7; and, a method for evaluating risk of colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma in subjects based on the results of detecting ACF in a test region of large intestine tissue of the subjects using the aforementioned ACF detection method.
1 . A method for detecting aberrant crypt foci (ACF), comprising:
detecting one or more types of molecules for which ACF-specific expression increases, and selected from the group consisting of SLC2a1 and SLC7a7 as an ACF detection marker, in a test region of large intestine tissue of an animal.
2 . The method for detecting ACF according to claim 1 , wherein the test region comprises a region where ACF are suspected.
3 . The method for detecting ACF according to claim 2 , further comprising comparing the amount of the ACF detection marker in the test region with the amount of the ACF detection marker in a region of normal tissue in the same large intestine tissue as the test region.
4 . The method for detecting ACF according to claim 1 , wherein the test region is on a specimen collected from a body of the animal.
5 . The method for detecting ACF according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting is carried out in vivo.
6 . The method for detecting ACF according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting is done by fluorescent labeling.
7 . The method for detecting ACF according to claim 1 , wherein the ACF detection marker is mRNA or proteins.
8 . The method for detecting ACF according to claim 1 , wherein the detecting is done by fluorescently labeling the ACF detection marker in the suspected region with a fluorescently labeled probe or specific antibody, and then conducting optical detection using an endoscope or gastrointestinal video scope.
9 . An ACF detection marker, which is SLC2a1 or SLC7a7.
10 . A method for evaluating risk of colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma in subjects, comprising: using the results of the detecting of an ACF marker in a test region of large intestine tissue of the subjects obtained by using the method according to claim 1 .