GALNT4 predicts clinical outcome in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the clinical significance of GALNT4 expression in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.


METHODS
Enrolled in this study were 104 patients treated with curative nephrectomy at Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai during 2004. Of the cohort 23 patients died of disease, 33 experienced recurrence and 3 died of another cause. GALNT4 density was assessed by immunohistochemistry in patient specimens. Univariate and multivariate Cox models, and ROC analysis were used to analyze the impact of prognostic factors on overall and relapse-free survival. Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log rank test was done to compare clinical outcomes between subgroups.


RESULTS
Intratumor GALNT4 expression was significantly lower than peritumor expression. Low GALNT4 expression was associated with poor overall and relapse-free survival (p = 0.001 and 0.004, respectively). Intratumor GALNT4 expression, which negatively correlated with tumor size (p = 0.032), necrosis (p = 0.013) and TNM stage (p = 0.017), was an independent prognostic indicator for overall and relapse-free survival (HR 3.088, p = 0.020 and 2.173, p = 0.047, respectively). Extending the TNM staging system according to GALNT4 expression showed a better prognostic value for overall and relapse-free survival (AUC 0.786, p = 0.029 and 0.761, p = 0.040, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Intratumor GALNT4 expression is a potential independent prognostic factor for overall and relapse-free survival in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Further external validation and functional analysis should be performed to assess its potential prognostic and therapeutic value in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Research, Ministry of Health, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Yidong
Y
Liu
Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Research, Ministry of Health, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Weisi
W
Liu
Department of Urology, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Le
L
Xu
Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Research, Ministry of Health, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Haiou
H
Liu
Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Weijuan
W
Zhang
Department of Urology, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Yu
Y
Zhu
Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Research, Ministry of Health, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: jjxufdu@fudan.edu.cn.
Jiejie
J
Xu
Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Research, Ministry of Health, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Jianxin
J
Gu
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D000097763:Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017350:N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases; D000097763:Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase
carcinoma; kidney; mortality; polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase; prognosis; renal cell