title: Expression of EphA2 protein is positively associated with age, tumor size and Fuhrman nuclear grade in clear cell renal cell carcinomas.
abstract: The receptor tyrosine kinase of EphA2 has been shown frequently overexpressed in various types of human carcinomas, which implicated that it plays important roles in carcinogenesis. Although EphA2 protein expression has been investigated in many types of human carcinomas, the relationship between the expression of EphA2 protein in clear cell renal cell carcinoma was not well documented. In the present study, using specific anit-EphA2 polyclonal antibody and immunohistochemistry, we evaluated EphA2 protein expression levels in clear cell RCC specimens surgically resected from 90 patients. Our results shows that EphA2 protein was positively expressed in all normal renal tubes of 90 samples (100%, 3+), which was expressed at low levels in renal cortex but high levels in the collecting ducts of the renal medulla and papilla. EphA2 was negatively or weakly expressed in 30 out of 90 samples (33.3%, 0/1+), moderately expressed in 24 samples (26.7%, 2+) and strongly expressed in 36 samples (40%, 3+). Expression of EphA2 was positively associated with age (P=0.029), tumor diameters (P<0.001) and Fuhrman nuclear grade (P<0.001). Our results indicate that EphA2 variably expressed in clear cell renal cell carcinomas. High expression of EphA2 was more often found in big size and high nuclear grade tumors, which indicated EphA2 protein may be used as a new marker for the prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Longxin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, 82 Hospital of PLA Huaian 213002, China.
authors.forename: Haibing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The 210th Hospital of PLA Danian 116300, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Wenquan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shuigen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jiandong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D036104:Receptor, EphA2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D036104:Receptor, EphA2
keywords: EphA2; Fuhrman nuclear grade; clear cell renal cell carcinoma