title: Expression of progranulin and the epithelin/granulin precursor acrogranin correlates with neoplastic state in renal epithelium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current traditional pathological parameters, including staging and grading, are not sufficient in predicting outcome in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Acrogranin is an epithelial growth factor and has been demonstrated to play a role in teratocarcinogenesis and tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to examine levels of acrogranin in renal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Western blot analysis was performed on renal tissue protein lysates. In addition, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of acrogranin expression was conducted on tissue sections of various histological types and grades of RCC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Western analysis showed that acrogranin levels were low in benign renal tissue and increased in malignant renal tissue. In addition, IHC revealed that high-grade RCC exhibited higher levels of expression than low-grade RCC and normal tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that acrogranin may be a functional important growth factor in RCC and may be a potential molecular marker for high-grade RCC.
authors.affiliation: Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Donald
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laddu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chandham
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gerton
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Petros
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000077153:Progranulins
chemical_list: C492314:GRN protein, human; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D000077153:Progranulins