PCNA and rectal cancer: Asparagine synthetase (ASNS) catalyses asparagine synthesis from aspartate and glutamine.41 ASNS has been shown to be transcriptionally activated by R273H42; while PCNA was transcriptionally activated by both R273H and R248W mutations.8 Thus our results support the earlier report suggesting that R273H transcriptionally activates ASNS and induces proliferation.8,42 Low expression of ASNS is a poor prognostic (shorter OS) factor in hepatocellular cancer43 and in rectal cancer.44