p27KIP1-expression in human renal cell cancers: implications for clinical outcome.
BACKGROUND
p27Kip1 (p27) protein is an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase complexes and prevents progression of cells from the G1- to the S-phase of the cell cycle. Decreased p27 expression has been shown to be associated with aggressive tumor behavior and decreased patient survival in numerous human malignancies. The aim of this study was to evaluate p27 expression in renal cell cancer and to assess its association with stage and grade as well as its relationship to patient outcome.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty-four renal cell carcinoma specimens were evaluated for p27 expression by immunohistochemical staining. Immunohistochemical findings were correlated with tumor grade, tumor stage and patient outcome.


RESULTS
A progressive loss of nuclear p27 expression was observed with increasing tumor grade. In poorly-differentiated tumors, p27 expression was significantly lower compared to well- and moderately-differentiated tumors (p = 0.025). p27 expression tended to decrease with increasing tumor stage, but the correlation was not statistically significant (p = 0.068).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggests that renal cell carcinomas showed increased aggressiveness with loss of p27 expression. A longer follow-up period will demonstrate whether this cell cycle regulator will provide additional prognostic information in patients with renal cell carcinoma.
Anastasiadis
Aristotelis G
AG
Department of Urology, Heinrich-Heine Universität, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany. aa910@columbia.edu
Calvo-Sanchez
David
D
Franke
Knut H
KH
Ebert
Thomas
T
Heydthausen
Manfred
M
Schulz
Wolfgang A
WA
Burchardt
Martin
M
Gerharz
Claus-Dieter
CD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27