Changes in cell-surface peptidase activity in papillary renal cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Renal cancer is one of the ten most common malignant tumours in humans and its histological classification, best clinical management and treatment strategies are continuously debated. Roughly 10% of renal carcinomas are papillary renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), a histologically well characterized tumour subtype that is linked to alterations on chromosomes 7 and 17. Peptidases are proteolytic enzymes known to be involved in oncological processes, although their precise role in renal cancer is poorly understood.


METHODS
Eighteen papillary RCCs were selected for the study. Tumour and normal tissue samples were frozen for enzymatic analysis. The catalytic activity for a pool of peptidases (EC numbers: 3.4.11.14; 3.4.11.2; 3.4.11.6; 3.4.11.21; 3.4.11.7; 3.4.14.5; 3.4.24.11; 3.4.21.26; 3.4.19.3) was measured fluorometrically.


RESULTS
Statistically significant decreases were observed in the following cell surface activities: EC.3.4.11.2 (six-fold decrease in tumour vs. non-tumour); 3.4.11.6 (five-fold decrease); 3.4.11.7 (eight-fold decrease); 3.4.24.11 (four-fold decrease). No significant alterations were observed in the soluble activities.


CONCLUSIONS
These data confirm the involvement of cell-surface peptidases in the mechanisms underlying RCC aetiogenesis and suggest that the peptidase activity profile in the RCC may be a diagnostic/prognostic marker.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country, Barrio Sarriena, Leioa, Spain.
Lorena
L
Blanco
Itxaro
I
Perez
Begoña
B
Sanz
Javier
J
Gil
José I
JI
López
Aitziber
A
Ugalde
Adolfo
A
Varona
Gorka
G
Larrinaga
D000368:Aged; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000201:enzymology*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000201:enzymology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*
D010447:Peptide Hydrolases