title: Piwi-like 1 and 4 gene transcript levels are associated with clinicopathological parameters in renal cell carcinomas.
abstract: Piwi-like gene family members (Piwil 1-4) are considered stem cell-associated genes/proteins. These are expressed predominantly in germline cells, but are re-expressed in different tumors. Piwil 1-4 gene expression has not previously been studied and correlated with clinicopathological parameters in renal cell carcinomas (RCC). The Piwil 1-4 transcript levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR in 73 clear cell RCC (ccRCC) tissues and corresponding normal tissues. The transcript levels of Piwil 1, 2 and 4 were strongly and significantly correlated with each other, in both the tumor tissues and the normal tissues (P<0.001; Spearman's rank test). Piwil 4 gene expression was significantly higher in the ccRCC tissues than that in the corresponding normal renal tissues (P<0.001; Wilcoxon signed-rank test). When the ccRCC patient cohort was divided according to the median Piwil 1-4 expression into low- and high-expression groups and according to age into younger (≤64years) and older patient groups (>64years), the younger patients displayed significantly higher levels of Piwil 1 mRNA in comparison to the older patients (P=0.010; Fisher's exact test). Interestingly, Piwil 1 expression was left-right polarized in the normal tissues but not in the tumor tissues (P=0.004; Fisher's exact test). Altogether, associations were determined between the Piwi-like family member expression levels and clinicopathological parameters of ccRCC, suggesting a potential role for these genes/proteins in ccRCC diagnostics and tumorigenesis as well as in renal tissue embryology.
authors: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Omar.Al-Janabi@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Omar
authors: O
authors: Al-Janabi
authors: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Sven.Wach@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Wach
authors: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Elke.Nolte@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Elke
authors: E
authors: Nolte
authors: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Katrin.Weigelt@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Katrin
authors: K
authors: Weigelt
authors: Institute of Pathology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Tilman.Rau@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Tilman T
authors: TT
authors: Rau
authors: Institute of Pathology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Christine.Stoehr@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Stöhr
authors: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Wolfgang.Legal@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Wolfgang
authors: W
authors: Legal
authors: Tumour Centre at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: stefan.schick@tuz.imed.uni-erlangen.de.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Schick
authors: Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany. Electronic address: Thomas.greither@uk-halle.de.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Greither
authors: Institute of Pathology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Arndt.Hartmann@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Arndt
authors: A
authors: Hartmann
authors: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Bernd.Wullich@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Wullich
authors: Department of Urology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: Helge.Taubert@uk-erlangen.de.
authors: Helge
authors: H
authors: Taubert
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
chemical_list: D060565:Argonaute Proteins; C421088:PIWIL1 protein, human; C556795:PIWIL4 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins
keywords: Age; Clear cell renal cell carcinoma; Normal renal tissue; Piwi-like genes; Quantitative RT-PCR; Tumorigenesis