ObjectiveTo detect expression of DTX2 molecule in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and investigate its clinical significances.MethodsOncomine and GEPIA databases were used to analyze the expression of DTX2 gene in CRC tissues and normal colorectal tissues, and online data of human protein atlas (HPA) was used to analyze the relationship between DTX2 protein expression and survival prognosis of patients with CRC. The expressions of DTX2 mRNA and protein were detected in the 55 cases of CRC tissues and corresponding paracancerous normal (PN) tissues by using qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry methods, respectively. The correlations between the expression of DTX2 and the clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed.Results① The data from Oncomine and GEPIA databases showed that the expression levels of DTX2 mRNA in the CRC tissues were significantly higher than those in the normal colorectal tissues (P<0.05); HPA online data analysis showed that the overall survival of CRC patients with low expression of DTX2 was better than that with high expression of DTX2 (P=0.009 8). ② The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot showed that the expression levels of DTX2 mRNA and protein in the CRC tissues were higher than those in the PN tissues (t=0.722, P<0.001; t=1.314, P<0.001); The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that the positive rate of DTX2 protein expression in the CRC tissues was higher than that in the PN tissues (χ2=0.899, P<0.001). The positive rate of DTX2 protein expression and the expression levels of DTX2 mRNA and protein were related to the depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage of CRC patients, that was, the deeper depth of tumor invasion, the more lymph node metastasis, and the later TNM stage, the higher positive rate of DTX2 protein expression, the higher expression levels of DTX2 mRNA and protein (P<0.05).ConclusionsDTX2 protein may be a novel biomarker for estimating progression of CRC. However, prognosis evaluation of DTX2 protein on CRC needs further clinical research.