Bone morphogenetic protein-7 expression is down-regulated in human clear cell renal carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies demonstrated that the expression pattern of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) is altered in different tumors. We determined expression of BMP-7 in human clear cell renal carcinoma (CCRC).


METHODS
Samples from cancer and corresponding healthy tissue were obtained from 20 patients who underwent nephrectomy for CCRC. Expression of BMP-7 mRNA was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
RT-PCR showed strong down-regulation of BMP-7 mRNA in cancer tissue. Immunohistochemistry revealed expression of BMP-7 in normal renal tissue, with almost complete loss of BMP-7 expression in malignant cells of 6 patients (30%). After 3 years of follow-up, 5 out of 6 patients with high BMP-7 mRNA expression were alive and disease-free, compared with 9 out of 14 patients with low BMP-7 mRNA expression.


CONCLUSIONS
BMP-7 mRNA and protein expression were down-regulated in CCRC. Further prospective studies are needed to characterize the role of BMP-7 in human CCRC.
Department of Dialysis, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. nina_basic@net.hr
Nikolina
N
Basic-Jukic
Tvrtko
T
Hudolin
Margareta
M
Radic-Antolic
Marijana
M
Coric
Renata
R
Zadro
Zeljko
Z
Kastelan
Josip
J
Pasini
Daniela
D
Bandic-Pavlovic
Petar
P
Kes
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D017523:Croatia; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
C525819:BMP7 protein, human; D055419:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7; D012333:RNA, Messenger