title: A possible role of CD46 for the protection in vivo of human renal tumor cells from complement-mediated damage.
abstract: It is still unclear which membrane-bound regulatory proteins (mCRP) are important in vivo to protect tumor cells from complement-mediated damage. To address this question, the expression levels of CD46, CD55, and CD59 were measured semi-quantitatively in situ on renal cell carcinomas and compared with the expression level and cellular distribution of these mCRP in proximal tubuli within each patient (n = 31). It was also determined whether the expression of mCRP on tumor cells is associated with deposition of C3d and C5b-9. CD46 expression was decreased on tumor cells; in contrast, CD55 was expressed on tumor cells (12 out of 31 samples), while it was not detected on proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC). Also, expression of CD59 on tumor cells was increased as compared with its expression on PTEC. Furthermore, the localization on the cell surface of mCRP as observed on PTEC was altered on tumor cells. Because expression of mCRP may limit a complement-mediated anti-tumor response, we determined whether complement deposition was associated with the expression level of CD46, CD55, and CD59. The presence of C3d on tumor cells was associated with a low expression level of CD46 (p < 0.02). The expression level of CD46 was also associated with a low tumor stage (p < 0.04). The results suggest that in vivo CD46 plays a role in the protection of human renal tumor cells from complement-mediated injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: V T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Blok
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Daha
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Tijsma
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Weissglas
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: van den Broek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gorter
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C497857:CD46 protein, human; D051916:Membrane Cofactor Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D003165:Complement System Proteins