Altered expression of ZAP70 and lnc-FAHD2B-3 in colorectal polyps: an exploratory molecular study

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern that often develops from precursor lesions, particularly adenomatous colorectal polyps. However, the molecular alterations associated with early colorectal neoplasia remain incompletely understood. ZAP70, a signaling molecule involved in adaptive immune pathways, is dysregulated in several malignancies. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), including TRERNA1 and lnc-FAHD2B-3 , have also been implicated in tumor-related biological processes, although their involvement in colorectal polyps remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of ZAP70 and two long non-coding RNAs ( TRERNA1 and lnc-FAHD2B-3 ) in colorectal polyps compared with matched adjacent mucosa. Publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets were analyzed to provide contextual evidence regarding ZAP70 expression and prognosis in colorectal cancer. In addition, matched colorectal polyp and adjacent mucosal samples were obtained from 31 patients undergoing colonoscopy. The expression of ZAP70 , TRERNA1 , and lnc-FAHD2B-3 was measured by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT–qPCR). Compared with matched adjacent mucosa, ZAP70 and lnc-FAHD2B-3 were significantly downregulated in colorectal polyp tissues, whereas TRERNA1 showed no significant differential expression. No statistically significant expression differences were observed between the independently defined high- and low-risk groups. In silico analyses indicated that higher ZAP70 expression was associated with more favorable relapse-free survival in colorectal cancer datasets. ZAP70 and lnc-FAHD2B-3 were differentially expressed in colorectal polyps compared with matched adjacent mucosa, whereas TRERNA1 was not. No significant correlation was detected between ZAP70 and either lncRNA. The small cohort and exploratory design preclude clinical or mechanistic conclusions; these findings require validation in larger, independent cohorts.